#10
GENESEO HIGH SCHOOL | GENESEO
Program Record Since 1974: 435-126
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 43
IHSA Playoff Record: 76-39
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 10/4
1976-3A: Geneseo Darnall 20, Metamora 12 13-0
1977-3A: Geneseo Darnall 34, Metamora 0 12-1
1978-3A: Geneseo Darnall 14, Bishop McNamara 7 13-0
1981-4A: Wheaton North 14, Geneseo Darnall 0 11-2
1982-4A: Geneseo Darnall 44, Springfield Griffin 36 12-1
1990-4A: Joliet Catholic 21, Geneseo Darnall 20 12-2
1992-4A: Oswego 14, Geneseo Darnall 6 13-1
1993-4A: Marian Catholic 13, Geneseo Darnall 6 12-1
2009-4A: Metamora 41, Geneseo 7 11-3
2013-4A: Rochester 16, Geneseo 8 12-2
State Final Coaches: Bob Reade (1976, 1977, 1978), Larry Johnsen (1981, 1982), Vic Boblett (1990), Denny Diericx (1992, 1993), Larry Johnsen Jr. (2009, 2013)
Geneseo: The IHSA’s introduction of playoff football came at the perfect time for Geneseo. Known then as Geneseo Darnall – Darnall was dropped in 2005 – the Maple Leafs qualified for the 1974 and 1975 playoffs, but it wasn’t until 1976 that they made their mark. In the Class 3A final that year, Geneseo bested Metamora, 20-12, to cap a 13-0 season. Leading the Leafs was 6-foot-3, 205-pound Wayne Strader, who rushed 33 times for 188 yards and three touchdowns in a downpour. “The conditions weren’t that bad thanks to artificial turf,” Reade told the media after each team had lost five fumbles. Strader’s final touchdown, a 2-yard plunge, came with 65 seconds left to end Metamora’s 30-game winning streak. Strader went on play at Illinois. In a 1977 3A rematch, the Leafs beat Metamora, 34-0, to sew up a 12-1 season. Reade’s wing-T offense won the total yardage battle, 262-78, with all but 59 of the Leafs’ yards coming on the ground. “I’m sure we didn’t surprise them with anything we did,” Reade said. “I don’t think we’ve surprised anybody for the last 16 years. We like to think we can execute.” One writer described Reade’s winged-T as “pure precision dipped in devastating deception.” Geneseo made it a three-peat in 1978, topping Kankakee McNamara for the 3A title, 14-7, to finish 13-0. Providing touchdowns for the Leafs were Bruce Borkgren and Lance Hofer. “We really felt before we came down here that our job was to score once,” Reade said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in our defense. I’ve felt all year long that our defense was good enough to hold almost any team.” Reade ended his 17-year tenure at Geneseo in 1977 with a 147-19-4 record to become coach at Augustana where he won four NCAA Division III national titles and went 146-23-1 before retiring in 1994. From 1965 to 1971, Reade coached the Leafs to 52 consecutive wins, the second longest streak in state history. Larry Johnsen Jr. became coach in 1979. By 1981, Geneseo was back in a state final, losing the 4A crown to Wheaton North, but setting the stage for another title. The 1982 Leafs captured that crown in 4A, topping Springfield Griffin, 44-36, to finish 12-1. Among those turning the game into a shootout were Geneseo’s Randy Clary and Ron Tracey, who scored two and three touchdowns, respectively. Clary, an all-stater who also intercepted two passes, gained 116 yards and Tracey 133. During a public reception to honor the Leafs, Johnsen said, “I’d like to thank the teams of the past. I think each one had a part in this team’s success.” Geneseo thus closed the first decade of the IHSA playoffs with four titles and a 108-13 record. For years, the Leafs led the state in playoff appearances. Only recently was it passed by Joliet Catholic and East St. Louis, who both have 44 playoff appearances to Geneseo’s 43.
For Whom The Bell Tolls: Geneseo Football Owns Titles & Tradition: Click here to read
#9
LOYOLA ACADEMY | WILMETTE
Program Record Since 1974: 424-169
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 33
IHSA Playoff Record: 79-28
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 10/5
1992-6A: Naperville North 21, Loyola 11 12-2
1993-6A: Loyola 7, Downers Grove South 0 12-2
2011-8A: Bolingbrook 21, Loyola 17 13-1
2013-8A: Naperville Central 13, Loyola 10 12-2
2015-8A: Loyola 41, Marist 0 14-0
2016-8A: Maine South 27, Loyola 17 13-1
2017-8A: Lincoln-Way East 23, Loyola 14 12-2
2018-8A: Loyola 13, Brother Rice 3 11-3
2022-8A: Loyola 13, Lincoln-Way East 3 13-1
2023-8A: Loyola 26, Lincoln-Way East 15 14-0
State Final Coaches: John Hoerster (1992, 1993), John Holecek (2011, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022), Beau Desherow (2023)
Loyola: Loyola made one playoff appearance prior to 1987, a Class 5A effort in 1975, which makes their overall resume especially impressive. Over the past 20 years, the Ramblers have won four titles and gone 211-47. Prior to 2011, Loyola reached two championship games. It lost the 1992 6A title to Naperville North but returned 10 starters a year later to dispatch Downers Grove South in the 6A final, 7-0, to cap a 12-2 season. The Ramblers played without two top rushers due to injuries, but it didn’t matter as they forced five turnovers. “You grow through adversity, or you crumble,” Coach John Hoerster told the media. “These kids just picked it up another notch.” Gregory Taylor’s 4-yard run was the lone touchdown. In 2011, the Ramblers began a string of eight title game appearances over a 13-year period. In only one of those 13 seasons did Loyola win fewer than 11 games and just once did it fail to reach at least the semifinals. Loyola won its second title in 2015. That 41-0 shellacking of Chicago Marist in 8A made the Ramblers 14-0. Coming in, Marist was averaging 37.9 points, but only managed 174 yards of total offense. “We thought bringing pressure was the thing to do,” said Coach John Holecek, whose team recorded five sacks. Dara Laja chipped in 152 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Jake Marwede also scored twice while Emmett Clifford completed 16 of 24 for 195 yards and one touchdown. The Ramblers returned to the 8A throne in 2018 with a 13-3 win over Chicago Brother Rice to finish 11-3. Loyola’s Michael Gavric provided a 4-yard touchdown run while teammate Nate Van Zelst converted 24- and 37-yard field goals. All the Ramblers had to do to reach the 2018 final was snap Frankfort Lincoln-Way East’s 26-game winning streak, 24-16, in the semifinals. “Statistically, this is a win that you just didn’t see coming,” Holecek said. In the 2022 8A final, Loyola and Lincoln-Way East met again with the Ramblers prevailing, 13-3, to finish 13-1. Loyola opened with an 80-yard flea-flicker pass from Jake Stearney to Declan Forde. Holecek felt that unorthodox first play would pay dividends even if it didn’t work. “Worst case,” he said, “it stops the safeties from coming down so fast. I thought it was a great call.” Stearney completed 14 of 19 for 174 yards and two touchdowns. Both scores went to Forde, whose three catches covered 110 yards. A former University of Illinois and NFL linebacker, Holecek ended his 17-year coaching tenure in 2022 with a 185-36 record. New coach Beau Desherow maintained the status quo, guiding the 2023 Ramblers to a 14-0 record. The 8A final was another rematch with Lincoln-Way East, which fell 26-15. Ryan Fitzgerald, the son of former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald, led Loyola by passing for two touchdowns and running for another. He completed 17 of 21 for 203 yards while Andrew MacPherson rushed for 117 yards and one score.
Jesuit Values Shape Loyola Football Program: Click here to read
#8
MAINE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL | PARK RIDGE
Program Record Since 1974: 415-139
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 38
IHSA Playoff Record: 74-34
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 10/6
1995-5A: Maine South 31, Chicago Mount Carmel 28 12-2
2000-6A: Maine South 27, Glenbard North 8 13-1
2003-8A: Lockport 48, Maine South 27 13-1
2004-8A: Downers Grove North 33, Maine South 13 13-1
2005-8A: Lincoln-Way East 30, Maine South 24 (2OT) 12-2
2008-8A: Maine South 41, Hinsdale Central 21 14-0
2009-8A: Maine South 41, Marist 17 14-0
2010-8A: Maine South 28, Chicago Mount Carmel 7 12-2
2016-8A: Maine South 27, Loyola 17 11-3
2021-8A: Lockport 24, Maine South 6 12-2
State Final Coaches: Phil Hopkins (1995, 2000), David Inserra (2003, 2004, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2016, 2021)
Maine South: Maine South earned 31 consecutive playoff berths heading into 2024. Since current coach David Inserra took over in 2001, the Hawks have only lost in the first round twice. His 23-year record of 231-49 ranks 39th for wins in state history. Most notable were his three straight Class 8A state titles in 2008, 2009, and 2010 after an earlier run of three straight runner-up showings in 2003, 2004, and 2005. A loss in the 2010 season opener ended Maine South’s 28-game winning streak, which tied the 20th longest in state history. Only seven schools have more titles than the Hawks’ six. Maine South’s first crown came in the 1995 5A final over Chicago Mount Carmel, 31-28, to cap a 12-2 season. Providing a 37-yard field goal with eight seconds left was Brian Schmitz, who also caught two touchdown passes and prevented a potential score when he had a punt blocked but recovered it in time to get off another punt. Afterwards, Coach Phil Hopkins told the media, “It’s a hard way to make a living, but very gratifying.” Hopkins stepped down in 2000 having gone 149-52 over 19 years. His final win was a 27-8 decision over Glenbard North in the 6A final to end a 13-1 season. “I couldn’t have scripted this any better,” Hopkins said. “This is about the kids, not me.” Leading the way were Kevin Sherlock, who ran for 181 yards, and Chris Fosco, who scored two touchdowns. The Hawks’ third title arrived in 2008 as a 14-0 season ended with a 41-21 win over Hinsdale Central. Vanderbilt-recruit Charlie Goro rushed for 164 yards and a touchdown and completed 9 of 14 passes for 132 yards and a score. “Everyone knew we were a passing team, but we took what they gave us,” said Goro, who finished the season with 3,171 yards passing. In the 2009 final, Maine South’s 28th consecutive victory was a 41-17 decision over Marist. Despite nursing injuries, Matt Perez rushed for an 8A title game record 316 yards and five touchdowns. “There was no doubt I was going to play,” he said. “The adrenaline was pumping, and I felt great.” He ended the year with 2,246 yards rushing and 38 touchdowns. In the 2010 final, Maine South topped Chicago Mount Carmel, 28-7, to finish 12-2. Matt Alviti, who’d go on to play at Northwestern, passed for one touchdown and ran for another while completing 16 of 21 for 224 yards. Paul Preston added 145 rushing yards and two scores. The Hawks scored a 27-17 victory in the 2016 final over No. 1-ranked Wilmette Loyola, ending its 30-game winning streak. When the teams had met in week two, Loyola won, 44-43. Nick Leongas helped avenge that loss by rushing 76 yards for two touchdowns and completing 11 of 20 passes for 124 yards and another score. Among Maine South’s all-time greats is offensive lineman Peter Skoronski, now in his second season with the Tennessee Titans. Another standout was Sean Price, who holds state records for passing yards (4,751) and completions (342 of 525) from 2003.
#7
WHEATON CENTRAL/WHEATON WARRENVILLE SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL | WHEATON
Program Record Since 1974: 375-170
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 29
IHSA Playoff Record: 76-22
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 11/7
1990-5A: Chicago Mount Carmel 24, Wheaton Central 0 12-2
1991-5A: Chicago Mount Carmel 21, Wheaton Central 14 11-3
1992-5A: Wheaton Warrenville South 40, Joliet Catholic 34 (2OT) 14-0
1995-6A: Wheaton Warrenville South 22, Naperville Central 21 12-2
1996-6A: Wheaton Warrenville South 42, Lincoln-Way 27 13-1
1998-6A: Wheaton Warrenville South 42, Barrington 14 14-0
2006-8A: Wheaton Warrenville South 44, Chicago Mount Carmel 21 14-0
2007-7A: Lake Zurich 7, Wheaton Warrenville South 3 13-1
2009-7A: Wheaton Warrenville South 31, Glenbard West 24 (2OT) 13-1
2010-7A: Wheaton Warrenville South 28, Lake Zurich 17 14-0
2011-7A: Rockford Boylan 21, Wheaton Warrenville South 14 10-4
State Final Coaches: John Thorne (1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998), Ron Muhitch (2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011)
Wheaton Warrenville South: Wheaton Warrenville South is among seven programs to have made more than 10 title game appearances. Six of those came in the 1990s, producing four of the school’s seven titles. The alma mater of Red Grange, the Galloping Ghost of 1920s fame, was called Wheaton Central when it lost 5A finals in 1990 and 1991. In 1992, the newly named Wheaton Warrenville South Tigers captured their first crown, besting Joliet Catholic, 40-34, in two overtimes in the 5A final to finish 14-0. It was the first title game to require two overtimes. Doug MacLeod’s 26-yard field goal as time expired forced overtime. Phil Adler won it with a 10-yard touchdown run in the second overtime. He finished with 186 rushing yards and three touchdowns. “We sure hate losing so we feel pretty great,” Coach John Thorne told the media. The 1995 6A final was a DuPage Valley Conference rematch for the Tigers, who had lost their regular season meeting with Naperville Central. The second time around, Tom Schweighardt batted away a two-point conversion pass with 2:13 left to preserve a 22-21 victory and cap a 12-2 season. The Tigers enjoyed a more comfortable 42-27 win over New Lenox Lincoln-Way in the 1996 6A final. “You never get tired of this,” said Thorne, who watched Kelly Crosby run for 126 yards and three touchdowns and catch three passes for 117 yards and another score. In the 1998 final, a 42-14 win over Barrington, the Tigers’ Jon Beutjer completed 29 of 43 passes for a 6A title game record 490 yards and six touchdowns. “This is absolutely the best Wheaton Warrenville South team ever,” said Thorne of his 14-0 squad. “With all the records and everything it may be one of the best in the history of Illinois football.” Beutjer set the still-standing state record for touchdown passes in a season with 60 in 1998. His tight end was Jerome Collins, who’d later play three years in the NFL. Thorne ended his 22-year career in 2001 with a 181-65 record. Ron Muhitch held the coaching reins when the Tigers captured their fifth title with a 44-21 win over Chicago Mount Carmel to end a 14-0 season in 2006. Purdue-recruit Dan Dierking rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns while Michael Highland completed 4 of 9 passes for 151 yards and two scores. Among the highlights was Jim O’Brien’s 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. “This is just unbelievable,” O’Brien said. Title No. 6 came courtesy of a 31-24 double-overtime thriller against Glenbard West in the 2009 7A final to close a 13-1 season. Matt Rogers supplied the deciding touchdown from a yard out. “This was an incredible game,” he said. The Tigers won again in 2010, topping Lake Zurich in 7A, 21-14, to finish 10-4. Rogers ran for two touchdowns and Reilly O’Toole passed for two. Muhitch ended his 19-year tenure in 2020 with a 153-63 record having coached future NFL players in Tony Moeaki, Dan Vitale, and Corey Davis.
#6
ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL | ROCHESTER
Program Record Since 1974: 241-85
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 22
IHSA Playoff Record: 64-13
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 9/9
2010-4A: Rochester 24, Rock Island Alleman 7 14-0
2011-4A: Rochester 42, Richmond-Burton 39 12-2
2012-4A: Rochester 43, Rock Island Alleman 18 13-1
2013-4A: Rochester 16, Geneseo 8 13-1
2014-4A: Rochester 49, Chicago Phillips 28 12-2
2016-4A: Rochester 38, Johnsburg 14 13-1
2017-4A: Rochester 24, Morris 21 14-0
2019-5A: Rochester 42, Chicago St. Rita 28 13-1
2023-4A: Rochester 59, Burbank St. Laurence 38 14-0
State Final Coaches: Derek Leonard (2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2023)
Rochester: It didn’t seem Rochester had made a coaching hire in 2005 that would change the landscape of Class 4A/5A football. Derek Leonard’s first team went 3-6, but his second made the playoffs, and his fifth reached the semifinals. Then the Rockets really went to work. Leonard’s 2010 squad steamrolled everyone, going 14-0 to win the 4A title, 24-7, over Rock Island Alleman. Since then, Rochester has upped its title collection to nine, a sum only four schools have exceeded. No program has won more finals without a loss than the 9-0 Rockets. Leonard, the son of the winningest coach in state history with 419 victories, Ken Leonard, took a 19-year record of 198-36 into the 2024 season. The younger Leonard has used passing to fuel high-scoring teams. Among the top passers in state history, Rochester’s Nic Baker ranks seventh (3,900 yards in 2017), Wes Lunt 15th (3,651 in 2011), and Clay Bruno 16th (3,638 in 2019). “If your quarterback is a good leader, a lot of people follow them,” explained Leonard. Among the state’s top receivers, the Rockets’ Zach Grant ranks first (2,301 yards in 2011), Hank Beatty fourth (1,949 in 2019), and Cade Eddington ninth (1,594 in 2017). For total offense in a season, Rochester ranks second (7,397 yards in 2019), third (6,786 in 2011), sixth (6,632 in 2017), 11th (6,506 in 2014), and 15th (6,390 in 2016). Bad weather can hinder passing, but 17-mph gusts in the 2010 final couldn’t stop Lunt from hitting on 19 of 36 passes for 213 yards and one touchdown. Colten Glazebrook added 297 total yards and three scores. Lunt was even better in the 42-39 win over Richmond-Burton in the 2011 final, completing 31 of 39 for 506 yards and three touchdowns. Grant had a title game record of 259 receiving yards. The Rockets’ 4,971 passing yards in 2011 rank second in state history. In a rematch with Alleman in the 2012 final, Austin Green passed for 172 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 130 yards and two scores in a 43-18 win. Rochester has never scored less in a final than during its 16-8 win over Geneseo in 2013. “We’re used to high-scoring, fast-paced, get-up-and-go offense, and they didn’t allow that,” Leonard said. “We wanted to show we can win games like this. We just haven’t had to.” The Rockets’ high-scoring ways returned in a 49-28 win over Chicago Phillips in the 2014 final. Daniel Zeigler threw for 302 yards and three scores while Evan Sembell rushed for 177 and two touchdowns. Twins D’Ante and Avante’ Cox each caught 10 passes and scored twice to power Rochester past Johnsburg, 38-14, in the 2016 final. Baker completed 23 of 31 passes for 335 yards and four touchdowns. The Rockets’ second 14-0 campaign came in 2017 and ended with a 24-21 win over Morris. Clay Alewelt made a 24-yard field goal as time expired. Baker threw for 223 yards and two scores. His 4,424 total yards and 54 touchdown passes in 2017 both rank fifth in state history. Rochester made its only 5A final in 2019, topping Chicago St. Rita, 42-28. Bruno completed 18 of 25 for 313 yards and four touchdowns. The Rockets scored 728 points in both 2019 and 2023, tying the fourth most in state history. The 2023 team topped St. Laurence in the final, 59-38, to finish 14-0. Bryan Zulauf connected on 15 of 19 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns while Nolan Mrozowski added 132 rushing yards and two scores.
#5
SACRED HEART-GRIFFIN/GRIFFIN HIGH SCHOOL | SPRINGFIELD
Program Record Since 1974: 479-101
IHSA Playoff Appearances: 43
IHSA Playoff Record: 93-37
State Championship Appearances/Titles: 12/6
1975-4A: Joliet Catholic 34, Springfield Griffin 14 10-3
1982-4A: Geneseo Darnall 44, Springfield Griffin 36 12-1
1995-4A: Providence Catholic 22, Sacred Heart-Griffin 17 12-2
2003-5A: Joliet Catholic 24, Sacred Heart-Griffin 21 13-1
2005-5A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 28, Rock Island Alleman 21 14-0
2006-5A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 35, Marian Central Catholic 14 14-0
2008-6A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 37, Lemont 15 13-1
2013-5A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 38, Montini 28 14-0
2014-5A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 29, Montini 14 14-0
2016-6A: Prairie Ridge 48, Sacred Heart-Griffin 17 13-1
2021-4A: Joliet Catholic 56, Sacred Heart-Griffin 27 12-2
2022-4A: Sacred Heart-Griffin 44, Providence Catholic 20 14-0
State Final Coaches: George Fleischli (1975), Robin Cooper (1982), Ken Leonard (1995, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2021, 2022)
Sacred Heart-Griffin: When one thinks of Sacred Heart-Griffin football, odds are Ken Leonard immediately comes to mind. After all, he won 387 games at SHG en route to an IHSA record 419 wins (he got 32 at Gridley). Leonard retired after 2022 with a 43-year record of 419-81, giving him an average of 1.9 losses per season. Surprisingly, the coach responsible for six state championships was not the school’s first choice when the job came open in 1984. It was initially offered to Chris Andriano, who was building a dynasty at Lombard Montini. It’s safe to say things worked out for both men. Leonard’s legacy includes five 14-0 teams. He missed the playoffs just four times in 39 years at SHG. Especially impressive were the 25 seasons in which he had no more than one regular season loss. Griffin had success before Leonard, reaching the Class 4A finals in both 1975 under George Fleischli and 1982 under Robin Cooper. The Cyclones wouldn’t win their first title until Leonard’s 14-0 team of 2005 topped Rock Island Alleman, 28-21. Setting 5A records for passing yards (351), completions (29), and attempts (40) was Bobby Brenneisen. “Thank God it was a nice day for throwing,” Leonard told the media. SHG ran its winning streak to 28 with a 35-14 win over Woodstock Marian in the 2006 final. Brenneisen completed 18 of 25 passes for 295 yards and one touchdown to go with a rushing touchdown. “I think Downstate, we’ve got to go down as one of the best,” Leonard said. Prior to the 2008 6A final, Leonard told his players, “Enjoy it; take it all in and make memories. But the best way to make memories is to win the state championship.” The Cyclones did just that, 37-15, over Lemont as Gary Wilson rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Tom Dondanville completed 12 of 22 for 187 yards and two scores. In August of 2013, SHG began a 39-game winning streak, tying the sixth longest in state history. The Cyclones won their 14th straight contest in the 2013 5A final over Montini, 38-28. Junior Gabe Green ran for 145 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 105 yards. His top target that season was Malik Turner, who finished with 1,378 receiving yards and later played four years in the NFL. Green would go on to rank fourth in state history for career total offense (10,394 yards) and touchdown passes (96), and seventh in career passing yards (8,030). The 2014 final was a rematch in which SHG stopped Montini, 29-14, to end another 14-0 campaign. Green, a Southern Miss recruit, completed 14 of 21 for 207 yards and one touchdown pass to junior Albert Okwuegbunam, who’d go on to play five years in the NFL. Notably, 2013 and 2014 saw Leonard’s son, Derek, coach Rochester to state titles in the same season. A 44-20 victory over New Lenox Providence in the 2022 4A final was the ultimate retirement gift for Ken Leonard. “It feels different because it’s the last one,” he said. “It feels kind of like the first one.” Ty Lott led the way with 214 passing yards and three touchdowns. Bill Sanders added 164 total yards and two scores. Among SHG alumni reaching the NFL was Matt Mitrione, a member of the 1995 state runners-up.
Team-First Approach Built SHG Program Under Ken Leonard: Click here to read
#4
PROVIDENCE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL | NEW LENOX