High school football: Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 rankings for Week 13

The top five remains rock solid, and three teams make season debuts in the rankings.

Brother Rice celebrates during the game against Mount Carmel.

The quarterfinals delivered excellent games. There weren’t many blowouts in the area. Even though some of the final scores were slightly lopsided, the games were closer than they appeared.

Lemont even kept things respectable against mighty East St. Louis, losing 42-21.

This is kind of an awkward week for the rankings. I like to keep the teams that are still playing higher than the ones that aren’t, in general. But it’s impossible to ignore that squads like Batavia and Neuqua Valley would likely beat many teams still alive. So bear with me for a week or two. Everything will iron out in the final rankings.

It’s been a long while since the top five changed, hasn’t it? There hasn’t been an earth-shattering upset yet in the playoffs.

IC Catholic, Wilmington and Sycamore are still playing for state titles so they’ve made season debuts in the rankings.

In case you don’t follow things on Twitter religiously, Kaleb Brown is back scoring touchdowns for St. Rita. All of a sudden the preseason No. 1 team is looking very dangerous again.

Week 13’s Super 25
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (12-0) 1
8A: vs. No. 8 Lockport

2. Joliet Catholic (12-0) 2
4A: at No. 20 Richmond-Burton

3. Brother Rice (10-2) 3
7A: at No. 6 Wheaton North

4. Maine South (11-1) 4
8A: at No. 10 Marist

5. Cary-Grove (12-0) 5
6A: vs. No. 18 Lake Forest

6. Wheaton North (11-1) 6
7A: vs. No. 3 Brother Rice

7. St. Rita (10-2) 10
7A: vs. No. 17 Prospect

8. Lockport (11-1) 12
8A: at No. 1 Loyola

9. Fenwick (10-2) 9
5A: vs. No. 19 Sycamore

10. Marist (9-3) 18
8A: vs. No. 4 Maine South

11. Neuqua Valley (10-2) 7
Season complete