It’s important to get around and see as many teams and conferences as possible. That’s the only way to keep the Super 25 relevant. Just staring at records and results won’t lead to a legitimate set of rankings.
So far this season, I’ve covered teams from 19 conferences. On Friday, I finally checked out the Southwest Valley Red. It’s been a fantastic year for the conference, with Lincoln-Way Central, Lincoln-Way West, Bradley-Bourbonnais and Andrew all having nice seasons.
The Boilermakers upset undefeated Lincoln-Way West on the road. Bradley-Bourbonnais quarterback Ellis Johnson was excellent. He was tough and smart and daring and utilized his athletic receivers well. The Boilermakers’ defense held strong on the biggest plays of the game, limiting the Warriors to field goals.
“We had to come out and play hard with a chip on our shoulder,” Bradley-Bourbonnais senior Lyzale Edmon said.
Edmon scored three sensational touchdowns. The Boilermakers will be a factor in the Class 6A playoffs.
The overall level of play in the game was high. That’s something that can trend up or down in conferences every year. Based on what I’ve seen, the North Suburban and the DuKane are down a bit this season and may be more susceptible to playoff upsets than in the recent past.
York upsets Glenbard West
A handful of undefeated teams lost in Week 8, including Glenbard West. York stars Henry Duda and Hunter Stepanich stepped up in the 21-20 win, which the Dukes pulled off with backup quarterback Zack Assaad.
The Hilltoppers squeaked into the preseason Super 25 at No. 24 and steadily rose all season, even when quarterback AJ Rayford missed a few games with an injury.
York opened the season at No. 9. The Dukes lost to Glenbrook South early and fell out of the conversation but not out of the rankings.
The West Suburban Silver has four ranked teams: York, Glenbard West, Lyons and Downers Grove South. All are rock solid, and Hinsdale Central isn’t far behind. It’s a conference that passes the look test when you watch the games and all five teams would likely be ranked higher if not for beating up on each other all season.
Loyola is out of the Super 25, playoff bid in jeopardy
Carmel quarterback Trae Taylor carved up Loyola in a 42-14 win for the Corsairs on the road in Week 8. Taylor threw for 384 yards and four TDs. Carmel vaulted all the way to No. 12 in the Super 25.
Loyola, the three-time defending Class 8A state champions, falls out of the rankings entirely. The Ramblers will have to beat top-ranked Mount Carmel on Friday to qualify for the state playoffs.
Loyola has qualified for the playoffs every season since 2002 and has won at least one playoff game in every season since 2006.
Undefeated Wauconda
One conference I haven’t covered this season is the Northern Lake County. Wauconda, Antioch, Lakes and Grant are playoff qualifiers, and the Bulldogs head to Lakes on Friday with a chance to finish the regular season undefeated.
Wauconda knocked off Antioch 25-20 in Week 8 to secure the conference title. Jackson Rudolph stars at quarterback and linebacker for the Bulldogs.