Below are teams ranked 6-60 in my 2015 Preseason Chicagoland Top 60 team poll. I will rank a Top 60 in the preseason and then in the final 2015 end of the season poll. Weekly in season poll will be a Top 30 along with "others".
6. Stevenson
7. Nazareth Academy
8. Lincoln-Way East
9. Libertyville
10. Phillips
11. Loyola Academy
12. Providence Catholic
13. Joliet Catholic
14. Montini Catholic
15. Glenbard North
16. Bolingbrook
17. Wheaton Warrenville South
18. Maine South
19. Oswego
20. Batavia
21. Lincoln Way West
22. Lake Zurich
23. Barrington
24. Hinsdale Central
25. Neuqua Valley
26. Lemont
27. Oak Lawn Richards
28. Oak Park-River Forest
29. Brother Rice
30. St. Rita
31. Huntley
32. Conant/Hinsdale South
33. New Trier
34. Carmel
35. Waubonsie Valley
36. Wheaton North
37. Crete-Monee/Sycamore (tie)
38. Jacobs
39. Lake Forest
40. Marist
41. Evanston
42. Prairie Ridge
43. Lyons Township
44. St. Viator
45. St. Francis
46. Benet Academy
47. Lakes
48. Geneva/Fremd
49. Lincoln-Way Central
50. Lake Park
51. Cary-Grove
52. Niles Notre Dame
53. Bradley
54. Morgan Park
55. Fenwick
56. Niles North
57. Glenbard South
58. Plainfield East
59. Minooka
60. St. Charles North
Thoughts on Teams ranked 6-60:
Stevenson won the 2014 8A state title and while the Patriots indeed graduated a terrific senior class they still have plenty of talented kids in the building this fall. Senior WR recruit Jack Sorenson (Miami of Ohio) is expected to move over to quarterback this fall, a position he played at Stevenson at the lower levels. Stevenson brings back 8 returning starters including 6 back on offense. Also keep an eye on senior RB/LB Troy Vincent and junior WR Henry Marchese. Biggest question? Can the talented but inexperienced kids step up especially on defense from the first game on? If your going to beat the Patriots in 2015 I have a pretty good feeling it better be early rather than later this season.
Nazareth Academy and head coach Tim Racki wrapped up a dominant season in 2014 win a 6A state title win. The Road Runners literally just steamrolled the field with a combination of a powerful ground game, timely paly action passing game and a speedy and lights out defense. 2015? I expect more of the same. Nazareth welcomes back 13 starters (6 offense 7 defense) including bring back nearly it's entire starting offensive skills group. Senior RB/WR/DB Julian Love (Notre Dame) is simply one of the state most explosive players. Also keep an eye on senior OL/DL Matt Prendergast, junior OL/DL Devonte Dunn plus junior RB Ivory Kelly-Martin and junior WR Justin Weller. The Road Runners biggest question heading into this season? Replacing all five starting offensive linemen (all five are playing at the D1 level this fall).
Lincoln Way East checks in as the No. 8 ranked team. The Griffins welcome back experience on both sides of the ball this season. East will bring back it's entire starting offensive and defensive lines and keep an eye out for Illinois verbal commit Kurt Gavin leading the way. Senior RB Liam Morrissey is also back and the Griffins offense looked pretty solid this summer. Libertyville? The Wildcats and head coach Mike Jones welcomes back a ton of starters from a season ago as Libertyville made it to the 7A state semifinal round in 2014. Senior All State QB Riley Lees (NWestern) keys the offense and Lees is a big time running threat yet can also throw the football when required. The Wildcats also bring back a large majority of it's line. On defense senior DE Ben Kimpler (Miami of Ohio) is a name to watch here.
Next: 5-60 ranked teams in Chicagoland
6. Stevenson
7. Nazareth Academy
8. Lincoln-Way East
9. Libertyville
10. Phillips
11. Loyola Academy
12. Providence Catholic
13. Joliet Catholic
14. Montini Catholic
15. Glenbard North
16. Bolingbrook
17. Wheaton Warrenville South
18. Maine South
19. Oswego
20. Batavia
21. Lincoln Way West
22. Lake Zurich
23. Barrington
24. Hinsdale Central
25. Neuqua Valley
26. Lemont
27. Oak Lawn Richards
28. Oak Park-River Forest
29. Brother Rice
30. St. Rita
31. Huntley
32. Conant/Hinsdale South
33. New Trier
34. Carmel
35. Waubonsie Valley
36. Wheaton North
37. Crete-Monee/Sycamore (tie)
38. Jacobs
39. Lake Forest
40. Marist
41. Evanston
42. Prairie Ridge
43. Lyons Township
44. St. Viator
45. St. Francis
46. Benet Academy
47. Lakes
48. Geneva/Fremd
49. Lincoln-Way Central
50. Lake Park
51. Cary-Grove
52. Niles Notre Dame
53. Bradley
54. Morgan Park
55. Fenwick
56. Niles North
57. Glenbard South
58. Plainfield East
59. Minooka
60. St. Charles North
Thoughts on Teams ranked 6-60:
Stevenson won the 2014 8A state title and while the Patriots indeed graduated a terrific senior class they still have plenty of talented kids in the building this fall. Senior WR recruit Jack Sorenson (Miami of Ohio) is expected to move over to quarterback this fall, a position he played at Stevenson at the lower levels. Stevenson brings back 8 returning starters including 6 back on offense. Also keep an eye on senior RB/LB Troy Vincent and junior WR Henry Marchese. Biggest question? Can the talented but inexperienced kids step up especially on defense from the first game on? If your going to beat the Patriots in 2015 I have a pretty good feeling it better be early rather than later this season.
Nazareth Academy and head coach Tim Racki wrapped up a dominant season in 2014 win a 6A state title win. The Road Runners literally just steamrolled the field with a combination of a powerful ground game, timely paly action passing game and a speedy and lights out defense. 2015? I expect more of the same. Nazareth welcomes back 13 starters (6 offense 7 defense) including bring back nearly it's entire starting offensive skills group. Senior RB/WR/DB Julian Love (Notre Dame) is simply one of the state most explosive players. Also keep an eye on senior OL/DL Matt Prendergast, junior OL/DL Devonte Dunn plus junior RB Ivory Kelly-Martin and junior WR Justin Weller. The Road Runners biggest question heading into this season? Replacing all five starting offensive linemen (all five are playing at the D1 level this fall).
Lincoln Way East checks in as the No. 8 ranked team. The Griffins welcome back experience on both sides of the ball this season. East will bring back it's entire starting offensive and defensive lines and keep an eye out for Illinois verbal commit Kurt Gavin leading the way. Senior RB Liam Morrissey is also back and the Griffins offense looked pretty solid this summer. Libertyville? The Wildcats and head coach Mike Jones welcomes back a ton of starters from a season ago as Libertyville made it to the 7A state semifinal round in 2014. Senior All State QB Riley Lees (NWestern) keys the offense and Lees is a big time running threat yet can also throw the football when required. The Wildcats also bring back a large majority of it's line. On defense senior DE Ben Kimpler (Miami of Ohio) is a name to watch here.
Next: 5-60 ranked teams in Chicagoland
