Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 10Michael O’Brienon October 24, 2021 at 4:54 pm

Brother Rice’s Jack Lausch (8) and Luke Niksic (22) celebrate Niksic’s touchdown against Marist. | Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

A tumultuous Week 9 led to a major shakeup all over the rankings.

Now that the path to a state title has been revealed, it is easy to overlook what happened in Week 9. Not here in Super 25 world. Week 9 matters.

Glenbard West, Marist, Prospect and Glenbard North all took losses and drop out of the rankings. That’s likely to be pretty controversial in Glen Ellyn and at Pulsaski and 115th, but you can’t coast on being a historical power forever.

The Hilltoppers were shut out on Saturday and don’t have a marquee win this season. It’s the same for Marist. All three of the RedHawks’ losses are to CCL/ESCC Blue teams, but they weren’t really in any of the games at the end. Meanwhile, teams like St. Ignatius and Fenwick have battled those same teams tough and even pulled off some wins.

I’ve given Glenbard North the benefit of the doubt most of the season. I think the DuKane might be better than most people thought early on.

Naperville North, which is just 6-3 but has beaten Naperville Central and split a pair of games with Neuqua Valley, jumps into the rankings for the first time this season.

Also joining are three undefeated teams on the outskirts of the coverage area that deserve some recognition for stellar seasons: Kankakee, Richmond-Burton and Morris.

Week 10’s Super 25

With record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (9-0) 1

8A: vs. Downers Grove South

2. Joliet Catholic (9-0) 2

4A: vs. Marengo

3. Brother Rice (7-2) 3

7A: vs. Wheaton Warrenville South

4. Maine South (8-1) 6

8A: vs. New Trier

5. Cary-Grove (9-0) 5

6A: vs. Rockford East

6. Batavia (9-0) 8

7A: vs. Lake Zurich

7. Warren (8-1) 7

8A: vs. Barrington

8. Wheaton North (8-1) 9

7A: vs. Larkin

9. Neuqua Valley (8-1) 3

8A: vs. Bartlett

10. Mount Carmel (6-3) 11

7A: at Thornwood

11. Naperville Central (6-3) 14

8A: at Naperville North

12. Hinsdale Central (8-1) 16

8A: vs. Sandburg

13. Fenwick (7-2) 23

5A: vs. Kaneland

14. St. Ignatius (8-1) 10

6A: vs. Bremen

15. St. Rita (7-2) 13

7A: vs. Rolling Meadows

16. Lincoln-Way East (7-2) 15

8A: vs. Oswego East

17. Lockport (8-1) 17

8A: vs. Lyons

18. Lemont (9-0) 18

6A: vs. Kennedy

19. South Elgin (9-0) 19

8A: vs. Edwardsville

20. Bolingbrook (7-2) 20

8A: vs. Glenbard North

21. York (8-1) 21

8A vs. Minooka

22. Naperville North (6-3) NR

8A: vs. Naperville Central

23. Kankakee (9-0) NR

5A: vs. Carbondale

24. Morris (9-0) NR

5A: vs. LaSalle-Peru

25. Richmond-Burton (9-0) NR

4A: vs. Sullivan

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