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Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings – Sept. 23, 2025

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Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings – Sept. 23, 2025


East St. Louis and Brother Rice have moved up, this week, into the top four of the Illinois High School Football Top 25 State Rankings. Lincoln-Way West is the lone newcomer, entering the rankings at No. 25.

Previous ranking: 1

Last week: Def. St. Ignatius 41-14

Up next: at Benet, Sept. 26

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Quentin Burrell caught two touchdown passes from Emmett Dowling, who had four total TDs. Tavares Harrington ran a fumble back 99 yards for a score.

Previous ranking: 2

Last week: Def. Lockport 49-14

Up next: at Naperville Central, Sept. 26

USC-bound Jonas Williams continued to move closer to the IHSA career records for passing yards and passing TDs, going 30-of-35 for 354 yards and five touchdowns.

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Previous ranking: 4

Last week: Def. Alton 60-6

Up next: vs. Belleville West, Sept. 26

Myson Johnson-Cook ran for 88 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Flyers.

Previous ranking: 5

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Last week: Def. Loyola 28-6

Up next: vs. St. Patrick, Sept. 26

Army commit CJ Gray had TD runs of 5 and 71 yards, and also threw a 47-yard touchdown pass.

Previous ranking: 3

Last week: Lost to Brother Rice 28-6

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Up next: vs. DePaul Prep, Sept. 26

Sophomore quarterback Matthew Lee passed for 149 yards for the Ramblers. whose 13-game winning streak was snapped. 

Previous ranking: 6

Last week: Def. New Trier 35-16

Up next: at Conant, Sept. 26

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Jayden Faulkner ran for 134 yards and Northwestern commit Johnny O’Brien threw for 197 yards and three TDs.

Previous ranking: 8

Last week: Def. Downers Grove North 35-21

Up next: vs. Lyons, Sept. 27

The Hilltoppers led 28-0 after one quarter and coasted to the win. Quarterback AJ Rayford returned from an injury to pass for 167 yards and a TD.

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Previous ranking: 9

Last week: Def. Barrington 41-21

Up next: vs. Evanston, Sept. 26

Indiana-bound Jameson Purcell threw for 238 yards and three TDs, and also ran for 65 yards.

Previous ranking: 7

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Last week: Def. IC Catholic 24-21

Up next: at Joliet Catholic, Sept. 26

Billy Harding kicked a game-winning 39-yard field goal with seven seconds left and Trenton Walker had six catches for 140 yards.

Previous ranking: 12

Last week: Def. Lake Park 41-21

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Up next: at St. Charles North, Sept. 26

Henry Hahn ran for 120 yards and three touchdowns, while the Bulldogs’ defense had seven tackles for loss, two sacks and an interception.

Previous ranking: 10

Last week: Lost to Glenbard West 35-21

Up next: vs. Proviso West, Sept. 26

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Still playing without Minnesota-bound quarterback Owen Lansu, the Trojans had a 71-yard TD pass from Kevin Jay to Illinois commit Will Vala.

Previous ranking: 11

Last week: Def. Burlington Central 28-7

Up next: vs. McHenry, Sept. 26

Fullback Jake Wagler ran 25 times for 155 yards and two touchdowns as the Wolves won the battle of unbeatens.

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Previous ranking: 13

Lost week: Def. Waukegan 51-0

Up next: at Zion-Benton, Sept. 26.

Illinois-bound Aaron Stewart rushed for 204 yards and five touchdowns, boosting his season totals to 990 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Previous ranking: 14

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Last week: Def. St. Rita 17-10

Up next: at Providence, Sept. 26

The Spartans opened a 17-0 third-quarter lead and held on for the road win.

Previous ranking: 15

Last week: Lost to Maine South 41-21

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Up next: vs. Palatine, Sept. 27

Luke Tepas threw for 295 yards, including a 61-yarder to Vince Cook, to lead the Broncos.

Previous ranking: 16

Last week: Def. Palatine 28-7

Up next: at Glenbrook North, Sept. 26

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Andrew Bonvechio threw a pair of touchdown passes for the Titans.

Previous ranking: 17

Last week: Def. Leyden 56-0

Up next: vs. Oak Park-River Forest, Sept. 26

Dom Alfano was a perfect 9-of-9 passing for 186 yards and three touchdowns .

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Preseason ranking: 20

Last week: Def. Fenwick 31-29

Up next: at Marmion, Sept. 26

Israel Abrams was 15-of-19 passing for 163 yards and two touchdowns as the Broncos held on for the win.

Previous ranking: 19

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Last week: Lost to Montini 31-29

Up next: at De La Salle, Sept. 26

Jamen Williams threw for 328 yards and three touchdowns for the Friars.

Previous ranking: 22

Last week: Def. Plainfield South 33-7

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Up next: vs. Yorkville, Sept. 26

Mariano Velasco had a pick-six and a receiving touchdown for the Panthers.

Previous ranking: 23

Last week: Def. Wheaton North 34-12

Up next: vs. Batavia, Sept. 26

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JT Padron threw for 326 yards and three touchdowns for the North Stars.

Previous ranking: 25

Last week: Def. Lyons 29-26

Up next: at Downers Grove South, Sept. 26

Two-way standout Riley Contreras passed for 209 yards and two TDs, and also ran for 43 yards and a touchdown for the Red Devils.

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Previous ranking: 24

Last week: Lost to Hinsdale Central 29-26

Up next: at Glenbard West, Sept. 26

EJ Kuhlman ran for 156 yards and two TDs for the Lions, while Jack Slightom threw for 254 yards and a score.

Previous ranking: 21

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Last week: Lost to St. Francis 17-10

Up next: at Notre Dame, Sept. 26

Quarterback Stephen Armbruster returned and passed for 93 yards, while Jack Schapendonk had 10 tackles, including three for loss, for the Mustangs.

Previous ranking: Not ranked

Last week: Def. Lincoln-Way Central 17-12

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Up next: at Waubonsie Valley, Sept. 26

Zach Hermanson kicked a program-record 52-yard field goal for the Warriors.



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Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL

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Produce Recall Issued In Parasite Outbreak Hitting IL


A number of Taco Bell locations have posted signs announcing they are “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall,” according to Detroit-area news radio outlet WWJ.

Taco Bell told the Post it would keep monitoring the situation and follow authorities’ guidance.

Taco Bell Lettuce Linked To Growing MI Parasite Outbreak: FDA

“Public health officials have not confirmed a link to Taco Bell or any specific ingredient, supplier, restaurant or retailer,” the company told the Post. “While authorities continue their broader review, Taco Bell has voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants as a precautionary measure.”

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In Michigan, where cases have been concentrated, media reports said notices were posted at some Detroit-area Taco Bell restaurants last week telling customers the chain was “currently unable to sell Lettuce, Cilantro-Onion, Pico de Gallo, and Guacamole due to a nationwide recall.”





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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash

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Illinois GOP trails badly in midterm cash


The Illinois Republican Party filed its quarterly campaign finance report on the July 15 deadline. The party reported having just $223K in the bank. The next day, the party sent a letter to the Illinois State Board of Elections saying they were “reconciling” their records after a leadership change, and then noted that their actual end balance was $101K higher than it had reported the day before.

But that bit of found money was basically the end of the “good news” for the GOP last week.

Republicans no longer have a pet billionaire. Bruce Rauner and Ken Griffin have fled the state. The legions of wealthy business titans who once contributed and raised money have either retired to sunnier climes or passed away. Several prominent party members have publicly shunned labor unions and their hefty political war chests, although the state GOP legislative leaders have at least tried to rebuild ties to trade unions and even the Illinois Education Association. But the heavily gerrymandered legislative map combined with the current political climate means they’ll mostly receive scraps.

And, yes, the House Democrats are struggling this month with scandals, including a state representative who resigned under pressure and another who was indicted. I’m not trying to downplay that at all. But Democrats have the national political environment, the local infrastructure and tons of cash behind them. The Republicans have little to none of that.

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The GOP’s gubernatorial candidate, Darren Bailey, raised $1.3 million in the second quarter, which ended June 30. That sounds like a lot, but he spent almost all of that on direct mail fundraising costs. The huge expenditures do give him a prospect list for future fundraising, but he ended the quarter with a mere $128K in the bank. That was still a whole lot more than the rest of the statewide ticket.

Attorney General nominee Bob Fioretti, a perennial candidate, raised $31K, spent $39K and had $28K on hand at the end of the quarter along with almost $15K in recent debt. Secretary of State candidate Diane Harris raised $6K, spent a bit over $4K and had a paltry $1,816.42 in the bank. Treasurer candidate Max Solomon, who ran as a write-in during the primary because the party failed to recruit anyone, raised less than $3K, reported no spending and ended the quarter with less than $8K. Comptroller candidate Bryan Drew raised $30K and received $47K in in-kind contributions from a company owned, ironically, by independent gubernatorial candidate Collin Corbett, spent less than $3K, ended with $54K and had $25K in debt from earlier this year.

Man, that’s just downright pathetic.

But I suppose it doesn’t really matter anyway unless we see a massive sea-change in national opinion in the coming months or the federal government finds a way to not certify certain election results. Regardless of where individual candidates are at this moment, they’ll have the money to compete. Unlike the Republicans, the Dems do have a pet billionaire (JB Pritzker) and, I assume eventually for most of them, organized labor.

The Republican legislative leaders have tried to scrape and claw as much as they can, but they’re vastly outgunned. Senate Republican Leader John Curran raised just $75K in the second quarter. He spent $71K and reported having a bit more than $3 million in the bank. His caucus committee reported having $160K in the bank.

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Leader Curran has three Republican-held districts to defend in the Chicago media market that have all trended Democratic in the last three cycles. Depending how bad things get, he could be defending a couple, two or three more.

The Senate Democrats have a ton of money to do whatever they want. Senate President Don Harmon has about $20 million in his personal campaign account and $1.7 million in his caucus account.

Over in the House, Republican Leader Tony McCombie has at least four Democratic-trending or swingy districts to defend and just $1.3 million in her personal campaign account and another $363K in her caucus account so far.

In contrast, House Speaker Chris Welch had $11.4 million in his personal account and $1.2 million in his caucus account. Like Senate President Harmon, he has more than enough money already, but more is never enough when there’s so much out there, so those numbers will likely rise by November.

Rich Miller also publishes Capitol Fax, a daily political newsletter, and CapitolFax.com.

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Hillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur

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Hillsboro grad, Springfield golfer Alex Eickhoff 2nd at state amateur


BLOOMINGTON — Springfield’s Alex Eickhoff nearly had a magical Thursday as he tied for second place in the 95th annual Illinois State Amateur Championship at Crestwicke Country Club.  

Eickhoff, a 2020 Hillsboro High School graduate and former standout on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s men’s golf team, shot a 4-under-par 68 in Thursday’s third round and followed that with an even-par 71 to finish the three-day, four-round event 1-over 285. He tied for second with Bloomington’s Logan Stauffer.  

Eickhoff briefly took the lead through nine holes of his fourth round when he sat at 1-under par. Chicago’s Charlie Kulwin finished both of Thursday’s rounds under par and finished 2-under 282. He was the lone golfer to finish under par for the tournament.

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Eickhoff was The State Journal-Register’s Small School Boys Golfer of the year twice in his high school career: once as a freshman in 2016-17 and again as a senior in 2019-20. After high school, he golfed for the University of Minnesota for two years before transferring to SIUE.  

He began the tournament with a 3-over 74 on Tuesday and shaved off a stroke Wednesday with a 2-over 73. He closed out the event with an even-par 71 in Thursday’s final round.

Other area golfers who made the cut were Springfield’s Charles Hoogland (7-over 291, tied for 20th) and Jacksonville’s Brady Kaufmann (8-over 292, 25th). 

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The last golfer from The State Journal-Register’s coverage area to win the Illinois State Amateur was Jay Davis. Davis, a Jacksonville Routt graduate, won the 1991 and ‘92 tournaments. 

Contact Ryan Mahan: 788-1546, ryan.mahan@sj-r.com, Twitter.com/RyanMahanSJR.





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