By Ryan Quigley
Illinois Scouting Director

We purposely waited two weeks to release our initial Power 25 Team Rankings due to the finicky spring weather and wanting to allow more teams to get games under their belts. It’s still really early, and thus hard to say an undefeated team is truly better than a team with one or two losses that has played a quality schedule. The good thing about several of our teams in the Power 25 is that most of the debates will be settled on the field at some point this spring.

Climbing

Mount Carmel and St. Rita climb to No. 1 and No. 2 with unblemished early season records. The Caravan and Mustangs won’t meet until May 13, the final Catholic League – Blue series of the year for both squads. New No. 4 Providence climbs up from No. 15, thanks to a WJOL championship run that ended with a victory over previous No. 1 Joliet Catholic in extra innings. The Hilltoppers dropped due to the loss, but early season convincing victories over No. 6 Brother Rice, No. 9 Lincoln-Way North, and No. 22 Lockport have them primed for a big year. No. 6 Brother Rice moves up from No. 18, as the young Crusaders have grown up fast during a tough non-conference schedule with big wins over Lincoln-Way North, Whitney Young, Oak Forest, New Trier, and Lyons Township. Sacred-Heart Griffin rises from No. 20 to No. 7 after seven straight victories following a loss in the season opener.

Sinking

Lincoln-Way North drops from No. 2 to No. 9, but the Phoenix have played a ridiculous schedule early on. Their losses are to No. 4 Joliet Catholic, No. 6 Brother Rice, and No. 22 Lockport.

No. 22 Lockport has also played a tough schedule, with losses to Providence, Joliet Catholic, and Lincoln-Way West. Despite that, the Porters still have big wins over Lemont and Lincoln-Way North.

New to the Top 25

+ No. 12 Chatham Glenwood
+ No. 16 Lincoln-Way West
+ No. 18 Prospect
+ No. 19 Rockford Boylan
+ No. 21 Fenwick
+ No. 23 Mahomet Seymour
+ No. 24 Mundelein
+ No. 25 Niles Notre Dame

Dropped Out

+ Alton
+ Lemont
+ Minooka
+ Jacobs
+ Downers Grove South
+ Cary-Grove
+ Peoria Notre Dame

Just Missed the Cut

+ Jacobs (9-3)
+ Champaign Centennial (6-1)
+ Prairie Ridge (5-2)
+ Geneseo (9-0)
+ Normal U-High (9-0)
+ Glenbrook North (7-1)

Big Matchups this Week

Monday

Joliet Catholic Academy at Naperville Central 4:30
Schaumburg at Prairie Ridge 4:30
Quincy Notre Dame at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 4:30

Tuesday

Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin at Chatham Glenwood
Plainfield North at Minooka 4:15
Naperville Central at Providence 4:30
Lockport at Lincoln-Way West 4:30

Wednesday

Chatham Glenwood at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 4:30

Thursday

Lincoln-Way West at Sandburg 4:30
Bradley-Bourbonnais at Homewood-Flossmoor 4:30

Friday

Hinsdale South vs. Hinsdale Central @ Benedictine University-Lisle 6:30
Edwardsville at Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 4:30
Fenwick at Oak Park 4:30
Metamora at Peoria Notre Dame 4:30

CLICK HERE to view updated Power 25 Team Rankings