Updated Illinois Power 25 Team Rankings
May 31, 2021
This is the final installment of the Illinois Power 25 Team Rankings until the state playoffs conclude in the middle of June. After a 4-0 week, including a win over No. 16 Jacobs, Huntley (27-2) is back as our No. 1 team in the state. The top-10 is loaded with quality teams, many of whom could make an argument to be sitting inside the top-3; currently occupied by No. 2 Lincoln-Way East (23-2) and No. 3 Sacred Heart-Griffin.
No. 2 Lincoln-Way East is coming off another impressive week where they went 3-0 with wins over No. 25 Libertyville, Lockport and Sandburg.
No. 3 Sacred Heart-Griffin continues to impress as well, going 3-0 on the week with their defining win coming against No. 8 Normal University by a score of 7-4.
State playoffs are around the corner with a number of regional quarterfinal games taking place Wednesday and Regional Semi-finals set for Thursday and Friday of this week with the Regional Championships set for Monday, June 7th.
Below is a breakdown of this week’s Power 25.
CLIMBING
+ Edwardsville (30-3) - The Tigers continue to roll and are one of the hottest teams in the state entering playoff week. After beginning the season 6-3, the Tigers have won 24 straight games and have a legitimate argument to be one of the top-3 teams in the state. Instead they currently sit at No. 4, after a 4-0 week, up two spots from last week.
+ Lake Park (27-4) - The Lancers, winners of the DuKane Conference regular season, have not let off the gas with another undefeated week. They currently sit at No. 6 in the Power 25, up a spot from last week.
+ St. Charles North (25-3) - The North Stars are back to their winning ways, going 2-0 on the week with a statement win over then No. 1 Marist on Saturday. The North Stars, our Preseason No. 1 team, are up a spot to No. 7 and looked poised to make another run at state in 2021.
+ Barrington (20-2) - The Broncos have been quietly dominating their opponents this spring and are up four spots to No. 11 after another undefeated week (3-0), with two wins over Hoffman Estates and a win over Lake Forest. The Broncos outscored opponents 35-3 on the week and have now won 12 straight games.
+ Hinsdale Central (18-3) - The Red Devils had a big 4-0 week to get themselves going in the right direction for the upcoming playoffs. Up four spots to No. 12, the Red Devils swept a three-game set against Glenbard West and a single game against Oak Park-River Forest.
+ Naperville Central (21-4) - The Red Hawks continue to put together one of their best seasons in recent memory running away with the DuPage Valley conference regular season title and conference championship. Naperville Central climbs four spots, to their highest ranking of the season at No. 13. The Sectional 6 No. 1 seed Naperville Central will host the regional semi-final on Thursday.
+ Jacobs (23-6) - The Golden Eagles climbed to No. 16 after a 3-1 week. Their lone loss came to the new No. 1 Huntley in a tough Fox Valley Conference game. They also picked up three wins on the week; two over Prairie Ridge and one over Kaneland. Jacobs is a well-tested group who earned the No. 1 seed in their regional.
+ St. Laurence (20-8) - The Vikings finished the final week with a flurry of big wins, going 4-0 and jumping five spots to No. 20. The Vikings were part of a three-way tie (Brother Rice and St. Rita) for the Chicago Catholic League - Blue regular season title. On the week they took down Brother Rice, Joliet Catholic and two games from Loyola.
SINKING
+ Marist (28-4) - It's hard to say the RedHawks are sinking as they have amassed a head-turning amount of quality wins on the season and have played as tough of a schedule as anyone in the state. Unfortunately, when you sit at No. 1 on the Power 25 games are magnified and the RedHawks went 3-2 on the week. Marist, now at No. 5, split with Marian Catholic and lost to No. 7 St. Charles North. They also picked up wins over No. 18 Homewood-Flossmoor and St. Rita.
+ Brother Rice (24-10) - The Crusaders dropped from No. 10 to No. 15 after a tough 1-3 week. Like Marist, Brother Rice has played a daunting schedule. The Crusaders had a chance to win the Chicago Catholic League - Blue outright but a split against St. Rita and a 1-0 loss to No. 20 St. Laurence wound up putting all three teams in a tie for first.
+ Grayslake Central (26-7) - An up-and-down 2-2 week has Grayslake Central down four spots to No. 17. The Rams knocked off Grant and Marian Central Catholic but losses to McHenry and Lake Forest have Grayslake Central at their lowest spot on the Power 25 in a month.
+ Homewood-Flossmoor (18-7) - The Vikings are another team that has played an ultra-tough schedule this spring and a 2-2 week has them at No. 18, down two spots from last week. This past week, the Vikings defeated St. Rita, split with Bolingbrook and lost 9-6 to No. 5 Marist.
+ Libertyville (23-8) - The Wildcats were another Power 25 team to go 2-2 on the week, sliding two spots to No. 25 as a result. Libertyville took 2-of-3 from Warren in a North Suburban conference matchup and lost a single game matchup to No. 2 Lincoln-Way East on Saturday. Libertyville earned the No. 1 seed in Sectional 2 and will host the winner of Waukegan and Zion Benton in the Regional Semi’s on Friday.
NEW TO THE POWER 25
+ Manteno (28-2) - The Panthers of Manteno (now No. 23) are yet another Class 2A school to earn their way into a Power 25 spot this spring. The Panthers only two losses on the season have come against Class 4A powers, No. 2 Lincoln-Way East and No. 15 Brother Rice. Manteno’s past week was a perfect 4-0 with two wins over Herscher and single wins over Ottawa Marquette and Grant Park.
DROPPED OUT
+ Lane Tech
JUST MISSED THE CUT
+ Harrisburg (26-1-2)
+ St. Rita (18-13): Part of a three-way tie (Brother Rice and St. Laurence) for the CCL-Blue Championship.
+ Lemont (21-8)
+ Rockford Boylan (21-3)
+ Hononegah (20-2)
+ Providence Catholic (21-12)
+ Glenbrook South (21-10-1)
+ Saint Viator (20-10-2)
+ Oak Forest (18-4-1)
TOP 10
| RANK |
LAST WEEK | TEAM | CLASS |
2021 RECORD |
| 1 |
2 | Huntley |
4A | 27-2 |
| 2 | 3 | Lincoln-Way East |
4A | 23-2 |
| 3 | 4 | Sacred Heart-Griffin |
2A | 26-1 |
| 4 | 6 | Edwardsville |
4A | 30-3 |
| 5 | 1 | Marist |
4A | 28-4 |
| 6 | 7 | Lake Park |
4A | 27-4 |
| 7 | 8 | St. Charles North |
4A | 25-3 |
| 8 | 5 | Normal University |
2A | 26-3 |
| 9 | 9 | Lincoln-Way Central |
4A | 17-3-1 |
| 10 | 11 | Downers Grove South |
4A | 23-2 |
CLICK HERE to view Entire Updated Power 25 Team Rankings.
2021 SEASON
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