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Best programs that never won a State Title.

McCaravan

McCaravan

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Feb 1, 2016
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Not the best specific team that never won but what school has consistently been good, but never won a State Championship in Football? My vote, off the top of my head, is Marist.

Marist has been to the State game 3 times but never won and with some of the teams and some of the talent they have had, you would think they would have Championship trophy in their case but they don't. In recent years they have had enormous big name talent. Lot of top D1 talent. The last 3 NCAA Champions have had Marist alum on their roster. Off the top of my head as far as talent that has had major success in College recently is Nic Weisher, Flynn Nagle, Pat Coogan, Deuce McGuire, Jimmy Rolder, John Nestor, and even though he went to IMG after his freshman year, Carnell Tate. In addition to the above mentioned they have had numerous players go on and contribute to D1 programs.

There isn't a ton of Marist fans on this board but is it bad luck? Coaching? Both?. Outsiders view, in their defense, they seem to lose to teams that are as good or equally as good as them in the playoffs, although they have made some fast exits in the past. It also seemed like they quickly replaced Dunn with Dawzak and stuck with him. I know Dunn left closer to the start of the season and a wide search would have been hard but did they stick with Dawzak too long? Anyways, Marist is my vote. Any other teams?
 
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eagles2k3!

Redshirt
Aug 29, 2025
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Good call on Barrington.
Small schools: Tolono Unity.
Scott Hamilton came close but I think was either. 0-4 or 0-5 in title games?

saw him speak once at a clinic and he was awesome. Followed him and his team ever since.
 
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eagles2k3!

Redshirt
Aug 29, 2025
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I was wrong. Scott Hamilton from Tolono was 0-6 in title games. They are 0-7 as a program. That has to be best program to never win a title.

I’ll add Palatine and Fremd as programs that have come close. Palatine 3 semifinals and one title game appearance. Fremd has one semifinal and quite a few quarterfinal losses.

2016 Palatine was probably their best chance to win it. All State QB went down in the first round to Niles Notre Dame and still made it to the semifinals. Maine South moved Kevin Jarvis to Nose for the first time all year in the semis and he was a monster. Disrupted everything.
 
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kpjasion

Senior
Oct 12, 2014
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eagles2k3! said:
I was wrong. Scott Hamilton from Tolono was 0-6 in title games. They are 0-7 as a program. That has to be best program to never win a title.

I’ll add Palatine and Fremd as programs that have come close. Palatine 3 semifinals and one title game appearance. Fremd has one semifinal and quite a few quarterfinal losses.

2016 Palatine was probably their best chance to win it. All State QB went down in the first round to Niles Notre Dame and still made it to the semifinals. Maine South moved Kevin Jarvis to Nose for the first time all year in the semis and he was a monster. Disrupted everything.
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The Jarvis move was indeed key. The wind was howling that day, and DJ, who did have a hell of a senior year, was the junior backup QB. The Jarvis move neutralized our running game, so Palatine had to throw into that wind. It was a 14-7 game until the 4th quarter when DJ threw a couple of wind buffetted interceptions. I know Quags has said it and most people around Palatine agree( especially after they whipped Barrington when they were both 7-0), if Oles isn't hurt they get the trophy and wouldn't qualify for this thread. I also think the 2022 squad goes 9-0 instead of 8-1 and beats or doesn't run into York with a healthy Dersnah.
 
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McCaravan

McCaravan

All-American
Feb 1, 2016
4,688
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eagles2k3! said:
I was wrong. Scott Hamilton from Tolono was 0-6 in title games. They are 0-7 as a program. That has to be best program to never win a title.

I’ll add Palatine and Fremd as programs that have come close. Palatine 3 semifinals and one title game appearance. Fremd has one semifinal and quite a few quarterfinal losses.

2016 Palatine was probably their best chance to win it. All State QB went down in the first round to Niles Notre Dame and still made it to the semifinals. Maine South moved Kevin Jarvis to Nose for the first time all year in the semis and he was a monster. Disrupted everything.
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They had their shots in the late 80's and early 90's with Randy and Jeff Hecklinski, especially Jeff. Jeff has gone on to have an extremely impressive NCAA coaching career, some big positions at big schools
 
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USD24

All-American
May 29, 2001
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For big schools I would say Edwardsville, 30 playoff appearances, 2 runner ups and 0 titles. They always seem to be good, just not good enough. Glenbard North has 3 appearances without a win and Lemont, who was very successful for a long stretch, but just could not get over that hump went to 3 finals without a victory.

A couple of smaller schools are RI Alleman, ,who went to 5 championship games without a win. Lexington and St Joe-Ogden have also played in 5 championship games without a win.
 
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McCaravan

McCaravan

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Feb 1, 2016
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USD24 said:
For big schools I would say Edwardsville, 30 playoff appearances, 2 runner ups and 0 titles. They always seem to be good, just not good enough. Glenbard North has 3 appearances without a win and Lemont, who was very successful for a long stretch, but just could not get over that hump went to 3 finals without a victory.

A couple of smaller schools are RI Alleman, ,who went to 5 championship games without a win. Lexington and St Joe-Ogden have also played in 5 championship games without a win.
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Good call on Edwardsville, I thought they won one, but they didn't.

HF won one 1994 so they don't count but for all the talented teams they've had it seems like they should have won 7 by now.
 
U

USD24

All-American
May 29, 2001
5,478
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McCaravan said:
Not the best specific team that never won but what school has consistently been good, but never won a State Championship in Football? My vote, off the top of my head, is Marist.

Marist has been to the State game 3 times but never won and with some of the teams and some of the talent they have had, you would think they would have Championship trophy in their case but they don't. In recent years they have had enormous big name talent. Lot of top D1 talent. The last 3 NCAA Champions have had Marist alum on their roster. Off the top of my head as far as talent that has had major success in College recently is Nic Weisher, Flynn Nagle, Pat Coogan, Deuce McGuire, Jimmy Rolder, John Nestor, and even though he went to IMG after his freshman year, Carnell Tate. In addition to the above mentioned they have had numerous players go on and contribute to D1 programs.

There isn't a ton of Marist fans on this board but is it bad luck? Coaching? Both?. Outsiders view, in their defense, they seem to lose to teams that are as good or equally as good as them in the playoffs, although they have made some fast exits in the past. It also seemed like they quickly replaced Dunn with Dawzak and stuck with him. I know Dunn left closer to the start of the season and a wide search would have been hard but did they stick with Dawzak too long? Anyways, Marist is my vote. Any other teams?
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Good call on Marist. My junior year, we(JC)beat them on a last second field goal, which was their only loss until the state championship game vs Buffalo Grove. They have always been good, but never could put it all together in the playoffs.
 
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McCaravan

McCaravan

All-American
Feb 1, 2016
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USD24 said:
Good call on Marist. My junior year, we(JC)beat them on a last second field goal, which was their only loss until the state championship game vs Buffalo Grove. They have always been good, but never could put it all together in the playoffs.
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I think they have more players currently playing D1 then MC does right now and they missed the playoffs entirely two of the past 3 seasons and haven't made it past the second round since 2021.
 
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PowerI66

Senior
Jul 10, 2025
580
492
63
School All-Time Wins (approx.) Best Finish
Champaign (Central) 700 Runner-up (various)
Peoria (High) 698 Runner-up (1988)
Rock Island (High) 692 Runner-up (1997)
Oak Park-River Forest 683 Quarterfinals/Semifinals
Bloomington (High) 666 Runner-up (1975, 2003)
Sterling (High) 661 Semifinals (2017, 2018)
 
4

4Afan

All-Conference
Sep 15, 2001
3,818
3,421
113
PowerI66 said:
School All-Time Wins (approx.) Best Finish
Champaign (Central) 700 Runner-up (various)
Peoria (High) 698 Runner-up (1988)
Rock Island (High) 692 Runner-up (1997)
Oak Park-River Forest 683 Quarterfinals/Semifinals
Bloomington (High) 666 Runner-up (1975, 2003)
Sterling (High) 661 Semifinals (2017, 2018)
Click to expand...
Peoria won in 2016.
 
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rink231111

Freshman
Aug 28, 2025
169
89
28
Sterling. Long, long playoff history. It wasn't until their eighth appearance that it made it out of the first round.661 total program wins. 38 total playoff appearances. Reached semifinals in 2017 and 2018. Combined record of 30-37 in postseason play.
 
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ramblinman reborn

Freshman
Aug 15, 2025
62
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McCaravan said:
Not the best specific team that never won but what school has consistently been good, but never won a State Championship in Football? My vote, off the top of my head, is Marist.

Marist has been to the State game 3 times but never won and with some of the teams and some of the talent they have had, you would think they would have Championship trophy in their case but they don't. In recent years they have had enormous big name talent. Lot of top D1 talent. The last 3 NCAA Champions have had Marist alum on their roster. Off the top of my head as far as talent that has had major success in College recently is Nic Weisher, Flynn Nagle, Pat Coogan, Deuce McGuire, Jimmy Rolder, John Nestor, and even though he went to IMG after his freshman year, Carnell Tate. In addition to the above mentioned they have had numerous players go on and contribute to D1 programs.

There isn't a ton of Marist fans on this board but is it bad luck? Coaching? Both?. Outsiders view, in their defense, they seem to lose to teams that are as good or equally as good as them in the playoffs, although they have made some fast exits in the past. It also seemed like they quickly replaced Dunn with Dawzak and stuck with him. I know Dunn left closer to the start of the season and a wide search would have been hard but did they stick with Dawzak too long? Anyways, Marist is my vote. Any other teams?
Click to expand...

IDK about Marist. Certainly, they have been consistently good in recent years. But, it wasn't that long ago in the pre-Pat Dunne days that they were consistently mediocre at best.

My pick is probably Barrington. They just can't seem to get over the hump.

A little over 20 years ago, I remember Bloomington dropping three consecutive title games to three different private schools. They haven't been back since.
 
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Cross Bones

All-Conference
Aug 19, 2001
52,858
3,933
113
PowerI66 said:
School All-Time Wins (approx.) Best Finish
Champaign (Central) 700 Runner-up (various)
Peoria (High) 698 Runner-up (1988)
Rock Island (High) 692 Runner-up (1997)
Oak Park-River Forest 683 Quarterfinals/Semifinals
Bloomington (High) 666 Runner-up (1975, 2003)
Sterling (High) 661 Semifinals (2017, 2018)
Click to expand...
OPRF has natty's
 
McCaravan

McCaravan

All-American
Feb 1, 2016
4,688
7,423
113
eagles2k3! said:
idk how I missed this one but Glenbard North! 0-4 in title games. Geneva is 0-3 as well. Alleman is 0-4.
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I think the one year a lot of people had them pegged to win it when Justin Jackson was a senior they lost to Stevenson in the second round in 2014
 
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Cyclone630

Redshirt
Oct 24, 2014
42
26
18
eagles2k3! said:
idk how I missed this one but Glenbard North! 0-4 in title games. Geneva is 0-3 as well. Alleman is 0-4.
Click to expand...
Glenbard North has caught lightening in a bottle 4 times, including making the state final with 6-3 (29th seed) and 5-4 (28th seed) regular season records.

Historically they are a 5-4 team, and 6-3 over the last 20 years.
 
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