Greatest Team of the Last 10 Years…

[Alexander33]

1. 2024 East St. Louis (Ran through the playoffs with wins of 67, 48, 44, 48 and 20 points. The last one was against DuKane champion.)
2. 2023 Loyola (Unbeaten CCL/ESCC-Blue champion; they gave Mt. Carmel and Lincoln-Way E. their only losses for the season.)
3. 2022 Mt. Carmel (Unbeaten CCL/ESCC-Blue champion, with all five playoff wins by double digits.)
4. 2025 East St. Louis (Currently on a 19-game winning streak against Illinois opponents, with only one game closer than 20 points.)
5. 2021 Cary-Grove (Did the seemingly impossible by defeating the Luther Burden led Flyers in the state championship game.)
6. 2019 Lincoln-Way East (No team came closer than ten points all year. Shut out Warren in the championship game with stifling defense.)
7. 2017 Lincoln-Way East (The unbeaten Griffins were not totally dominant, but they were the best in 8A this year.)
8. 2015 Loyola (After a dominant regular season, the unbeaten Ramblers had a couple of narrow escapes in the playoffs.)
9. 2018 Nazareth (Nazareth finished second in the ESCC and had a controversial scare against Simeon, but they were the 7A champs.)
10. 2016 Prairie Ridge (This was seemingly the better of back-to-back unbeaten 6A champs as they won every game by double digits.)

Brief descriptions have been added.

 

[IHSAfootballfan]

Call me crazy, but I think that Phillips team that their second state title back in 2017 beats that Lincoln Way East team of that year. They played Loyola week one that year and beat them. LWE beat Loyola in the state finals, I think Phillips was the best team that year in the state of Illinois.

 

[STIX815]

They indeed could've beat anyone that year. They beat BR at Rice in a game that had over 100 combined points in a "whoever gets the ball last wins" kind of game. That BR team could've won 7A but Jack Lausch hurt his leg in the quarters against MC. They went on to lose to Wheaton North with Lausch pretty much unable to leave the pocket. And Wheaton North went on to beat Rita in the 7A title game. JCA was outstanding that year and could've beat Lockport or Maine South in that year's 8A game (IMO).

I agree with all this. This was maybe the most physically imposing team 4A has ever seen! We (Richmond-Burton) played you guys at home in the semi’s. Kept it close through 3 quarters but JCA pulled away in the 4th. It got really hard to tackle anderson in the 4th quarter. We were NOT happy they decided to stay in 4A lol..

 

[tydooley2495]

2019 Lena Winslow probably could've won 1A-3A that year.
2022 St. Teresa in 2A
2023 Rochester in 4A

 

[USD24]

I agree with all this. This was maybe the most physically imposing team 4A has ever seen! We (Richmond-Burton) played you guys at home in the semi’s. Kept it close through 3 quarters but JCA pulled away in the 4th. It got really hard to tackle anderson in the 4th quarter. We were NOT happy they decided to stay in 4A lol..

That was a really impressive RB team. Went toe to toe with the Hipptoppers for awhile in that one. I was on the field after the game and got to hear the RB coach's speech to his team. I was very impressed with him and the entire program. Great game and atmosphere.