Week 6 delivered several exciting, interesting results. We learned a lot and clarified some things in the Super 25.
However, there was one result that made things difficult. Brother Rice beat visiting Mount Carmel 16-13. The Caravan was without injured quarterback Jack Elliott, one of the top contenders for Player of the Year.
That left a big question mark for the No. 2 spot. Downers Grove North would have been the logical contender. Mount Carmel already defeated No. 3 Nazareth.
Downers Grove North is unbeaten and deserved serious consideration for No. 2. I was in Elmhurst to watch the Trojans beat York on Friday. Downers Grove North impressed and erased the concerns I expressed last week about its lofty ranking.
But I don’t think Downers Grove North is better than Mount Carmel (with Elliott). The Caravan gets a mulligan this week and remains at No. 2.
Brother Rice joins the rankings despite a 3-3 record. The Crusaders’ losses are to Marist, St. Rita and Loyola. All three were by one touchdown.
Fenwick, which was ranked earlier this season, is the other addition. The Friars smashed St. Laurence 37-15 in Week 5. They’ve also beaten Oak Park, St. Ignatius and Montini. Fenwick’s only loss was by one point at Joliet Catholic. And the Friars have Nate Marshall.
St. Laurence and York drop out.
Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 7
With record and last week’s ranking
1. Lincoln-Way East (6-0) 1
Friday vs. Lockport
2. Mount Carmel (4-2) 2
Friday vs. No. 12 Joliet Catholic
3. Nazareth (5-1) 3
Friday at De La Salle
4. Downers Grove North (6-0) 4
Friday vs. No. 19 Lyons
5. Geneva (6-0) 19
Friday vs. Wheaton North
6. Cary-Grove (6-0) 6
Friday at Huntley
7. Loyola (4-2) 9
Saturday vs. Providence
8. Fremd (6-0) 25
Thursday at Palatine
9. St. Rita (4-2) 8
Friday at Leo
10. Naperville Central (6-0) 10
Friday at Metea Valley
11. Oswego (6-0) 11
Friday at Yorkville
12. Joliet Catholic (4-2) 12
Friday at No. 2 Mount Carmel
13. Marist (5-1) 13
Friday at St. Ignatius
14. Kankakee (5-1) 14
Saturday at Bloom
15. Barrington (5-1) 7
Thursday vs. Schaumburg
16. Batavia (5-1) 5
Friday at St. Charles East
17. Morgan Park (5-1) 17
Saturday vs. Phillips at Gately
18. Prairie Ridge (5-1) 18
Friday vs. Burlington Central
19. Lyons (6-0) 16
Friday at No. 4 Downers Grove North
20. Hersey (4-2) 20
Thursday at Prospect
21. Warren (4-2) 21
Friday at Stevenson
22. Sandburg (5-1) 22
Friday at Andrew
23. Libertyville (6-0) 24
Thursday at Zion-Benton
24. Fenwick (5-1) NR
Friday at Benet
25. Brother Rice (3-3) NR
Friday at Notre Dame