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

Any doubts about the area’s hierarchy were firmly dispelled over the first three weeks of the state playoffs.

The top four teams haven’t been challenged. Loyola, Mount Carmel, Lincoln-Way East and Batavia won the 12 playoff games by a combined score of 522-92, which works out to an average of 44-8.

The Griffins shut out all three of their opponents. Batavia has scored more than 44 points in all three games.

Mount Carmel hosts the Bulldogs in the Class 7A semifinals this weekend, so all four teams won’t wind up at Illinois State, which is a shame.

Four teams drop out this week after not being competitive in the quarterfinals: Morris, Geneva, Lincoln-Way West and St. Ignatius.

Three teams rejoin, based on their overall season resume: Hersey, Glenbard West and Prairie Ridge. Wilmington, which is still alive in Class 2A, makes its season debut in the rankings.

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

1. Loyola (12-0) 2
8A: vs. No. 6 York

2. Mount Carmel (11-1) 2
7A: vs. No. 4 Batavia

3. Lincoln-Way East (12-0) 3
8A: vs. No. 5 Barrington

4. Batavia (11-1) 4
7A: at No. 2 Mount Carmel

5. Barrington (12-0) 6
8A: at No. 3 Lincoln-Way East

6. York (11-1) 7
8A: at No. 1 Loyola

7. Downers Grove North (10-2) 8
7A: vs. Normal

8. St. Francis (10-2) 10
5A: at No. 16 Nazareth

9. Maine South (10-2) 5
Season complete

10. Warren (9-3) 10
Season complete

11. Lake Zurich (11-1) 14
6A: vs. No. 12 Cary-Grove

12. Cary-Grove (10-2) 21
6A: at No. 11 Lake Zurich

13. Nazareth (7-5) 19
5A: vs. No. 8 St. Francis

14. Kankakee (11-1) 9
Season complete

15. Carmel (10-2) 13
Season complete

16. St. Laurence (9-3) 22
4A: vs. Wheaton Academy

17. Joliet Catholic (9-3) 24
5A: vs. No. 19 Providence

18. Providence (8-4) 23
5A: at No. 18 Joliet Catholic

20. Hersey (10-1) NR
Season complete

21. Glenbard West (8-3) NR
Season complete

22. Prairie Ridge (9-1) NR
Season complete

19. IC Catholic (9-3) 18
Season complete

23. Morgan Park (10-2) 11
Season complete

24. Montini (9-3) 25
3A: vs. Byron

25. Wilmington (11-1) NR
2A: vs. Maroa-Forsyth