Illinois High School Football Greats (1950-2012)
Alex Agase Region
1. 1971 Chicago Saint Rita – Led by big OL Dennis Lick and the running of Billy Marek and
Sherwin Hunt, arguably Coach Pat Cronin’s best squad garners a number one seed in the
Agase Region. Finished 9th in the country in the National Sports News Service poll.
2. 1971 Evanston – Coach Murney Lazier’s Wildkits lost star RB Howard Jones to injury, but
the ’71 team didn’t miss a beat with QB Shawn Lazier, backs Steve Greene, Kevin Keith
and Emery Moorehead rushing for 400-ypg on a regular basis . Evanston will have to
travel through some landmines, but their goal, besides a championship, is to meet ’71
Saint Rita to decide that year’s and maybe Illinois’ best team ever.
3. 1999 Naperville Central – RB Ryan Clifford and QB Owen Daniels operate behind a
mammoth offensive line. Clifford rushed for 2,670-yards and 44-touchdowns in leading
the Redhawks to a #5 national ranking. With one of the best offenses in state history
(41.4-ppg), the defense needs to step up and will determine how far Naperville Central
advances.
4. 1950 Chicago Mount Carmel – Coach Terry Brennan and the talented Caravan are led by
a backfield of Tom Carey (QB), Dan Shannon (RB) and Tom McHugh (RB). MC was named
the #1 team of all-time in Illinois in a 1991 article by Taylor Bell.
5. 1974 East (Rockford) – The E-Rabs have enough talent to emerge as the championship
game representative from the Agase Region. East has great balance on offense with QB
Dan Schlueter’s passing and RB Russell Pope, plus the explosive Ira Matthews running
the ball. Defensively Mike Loser and Stuart Walker destroy opposing offense’s game
plans. If the E-Rabs don’t beat themselves, they could make a deep run.
6. 1996 Chicago Mount Carmel – Another loaded team that could power their way to the
title game. The Caravan is sparked by two 1000-yard rushers in Russ Calabrese and Mike
Mannott. Their two lowest point outputs of the season were in the opener (22-points)
and the championship game (17-points); both versus Joliet Catholic.
7. 2008 Park Ridge Maine South – The first of back-to-back champions for the Hawks. The
2008 squad features versatile QB Charlie Goro who guided Maine South to 45-ppg.
8. 1978 Chicago Saint Rita – 1971 Saint Rita QB Bruce Strimel’s younger brother, QB Mark
(Purdue), directs the balanced Mustang offense. The 1978 team also features two-way
terror OG/LB Mark Zavagnin (Notre Dame).
9. 1998 Chicago Mount Carmel – The ’98 Caravan squad doesn’t have the offense of the
’96 team, but their defense makes them a threat.
10. 1963 Chicago Saint Rita – The #1 team in the nation according to the final NSNS poll,
Coach Ed Buckley’s brutal practices made the games seem like a stroll along the
Magnificent Mile. The Mustangs dominated foes by outscoring them 348-60, including a
thrilling 16-15 victory over Loyola for the Catholic League crown.
11. 1975 Deerfield – QB Mark Carlson led the Warriors to a #4 national ranking (NSNS poll).
12. 1977 Franklin Park East Leyden – The Eagles won two playoff games scoring eightpoints in each of those contests. Defensively they have no weaknesses as lineman Kurt
Bankson leads the East Leyden charge. Benedetto, Sambucci and Pettenuzzo are the
backs in the Italian Wishbone.
13. 1990 Chicago Mount Carmel – Coach Lenti’s third entry into the field. Surprise: they run
the ball well and play superb defense.
14. 1988 Chicago Mount Carmel – The first of Coach Lenti’s championship teams, this
Caravan edition did it with grit and effort over style. TE Mark Norville’s penchant for
clutch plays helped MC to an undefeated state championship.
15. 1974 Northbrook Glenbrook North – A #2 ranking nationally and one of three teams
representing the field from 1974, the Spartans defense is dominant led by Gary Rockoff,
Steve Berger and Jack Moller. If GBN’s offense wins the field position battle, the
Spartans will be dangerous.
16. 2011 Rockford Boylan – The most recent team in the field, the Titans backfield of
Lamont Toney (QB) and Tyreis Thomas (RB) hope to lead them to a future date with
1974 Rockford East
17. 2003 Mundelein Carmel – Coach Andy Bitto took over in 1998 and turned the Corsairs
into a winner, culminating in a 6A crown in 2003. QB Mark Venegoni guides the
explosive offense. The defense will need to create turnovers for Carmel to move on.
18. 1969 Wilmette Loyola Catholic – The Ramblers formula for success is a withering
ground-game and stout defense.
19. 1986 Buffalo Grove – Big Jon Gustafson (DL) and Jim Wagner (LB) lead the Bison
defense into the fray. The ’85 team lost to a great East Saint Louis squad 33-7, springboarding 1986 BG to a title run.
20. 1972 Elk Grove – Two Jeffs, Stewart the QB and Schoeder the FB, highlight a devastating
offensive attack for the Grenadiers.
21. 1961 Evanston – Another powerful entry from Coach Murney Lazier, these Wildkits
outscored foes 268-25 in an 8-0 season.
22. 1961 Hinsdale Central – Coach Harvey Dickerson’s Red Devils romped to an 8-0 record
while outscoring opponents 270-32. They finished #2 in the rankings, but get a shot at
#1 (1961 Evanston) right away.
23. 1968 Chicago Mendel Catholic – Led by QB Rich Wyatt and WR Mike Hinsberger, scoring
will not be a problem for the Monarchs. Mendel also has an excellent return unit.
24. 1956 Chicago Leo – The Lions closed out the ’56 campaign with impressive victories over
Saint George and Calumet.
25. 1964 Chicago Weber Catholic – RBs Chico Kurzawski and Bill Nowak, plus two-way
standout Vito Racanelli hope to push the Red Horde into the next round.
Red Grange Region
1. 1985 East Saint Louis – Let’s be clear: no matter who wins the Illinois Football Greats,
1985 ESL is one of the greatest football teams in the history of high school football; in
any state, in any era. They have nightmarish speed and Coach Bob Shannon does a
superb job imposing that advantage on foes. One team (Carl Sandburg) stayed close: a
13-0 playoff tilt played in the rain and mud. Having seen this team in person or on video,
it’s hard to fathom another Illinois team defeating them since they do everything well.
That established, turnovers and penalties could crop up and hurt the Flyers. But much
like 1972 Dolton Thornridge in Illinois’ basketball annals, the title goes through 1985
ESL.
2. 1957 Chicago Heights Bloom – Three-time state sprint champion Leroy Jackson leads a
Trojan rushing-attack that averaged 343-ypg on the ground.
3. 1989 East Saint Louis – Another high-octane, speedy team of Coach Bob Shannon’s, the
’89 Flyers have a great tailback tandem in Chris Moore and LaGrant Suggs. The two
average over 9.0-ypc and are threat to score every time they touch the ball. Fleet
Kenneth Dunn at WR, averages better than 20-ypr, while LB/DE Dana Howard is a
monster on defense.
4. 1998 Wheaton Warrenville South – Jon Beutjer-to-Jonathan Schweighardt. The QB,
Beutjer (Illinois), tossed 60-touchdowns in 1998; 26 of those to his favorite target
Schweighardt. The Tigers averaged 47.2-ppg (excluding a 1-0 forfeit win during the
regular season). If the number one option is covered, look for WR Eric McGoey to step
up the way he did in the championship game that saw him catch 12-passes for 246yards and 4-touchdowns.
5. 1965 Harvey Thornton – What 1998 WWS is to passing, 1965 Thornton is to rushing. Led
by RBs LaMarr Thomas, Larry Snoddy and Mike Callahan, the Wildcats regularly rolled up
300-yards rushing.
6. 1979 East Saint Louis – Another fast Flyer squad that can break your back with big plays.
QB Alvin Jones is extremely efficient as he spreads the ball around the field to a stable of
fleet skill players.
7. 1976 Burbank Saint Laurence – FB Dave Hickey will be out of the tournament for the
Vikings, but that shouldn’t be a problem for a team that contended for national honors
in 1976. Kevin Basic (DE), Jerry Barnicle (LB) and Tom Martinez (S) lead a defense that
registered 68-sacks.
8. 1975 Joliet Catholic – FB Rick Thayer and LB Roger Hewlett key Gordon Gillespie’s
Hilltoppers. JCA is extremely tough to run on.
9. 2004 Joliet Catholic – The Hilltoppers feature three different 1000-yard rushers in Joe
Benson, Bill McKeon and Chris Clancy. Each average better than 8-yards per attempt.
10. 2007 Joliet Catholic – 6609-yards rushing (an Illinois’ record), a state title and a 13-1
season. The lone loss: a 21-20 decision to Mount Carmel in the opener on a miracle play
with 1:38 left. JCA regrouped and destroyed their remaining foes.
11. 1974 Burbank Saint Laurence – RBs Tim Halleran and Rob Mikel present a dynamite
one-two punch for the Vikings.
12. 1999 Joliet Catholic – RBs Joe Van Tassel and JR Zwierzynski are the catalysts on offense
for Coach Dan Sharp’s ground-based Hilltoppers.
13. 2002 New Lenox Providence Catholic – Legendary coach Matt Senffner’s squad ravaged
their 2002 foes to the tune of 580-52 in a 14-0 season.
14. 1996 New Lenox Providence Catholic – QB Robert Cruz and RB Louis Medina (2,745yards rushing) are the stars for the high-powered Celtics of 1996. PC won 50consecutive games from 1994-97. They’ll get to answer which was the best Celtic team
right away in their opener versus the 2002s.
15. 1962 Oak Park Fenwick – The Friars ripped through their 1962 slate by outscoring foes
317-32 in a 10-0 season. RBs Jim DiLullo and Tim Wengierski lead the offense.
16. 1962 Joliet Township – A big, physical line drives the Steelmen and opens holes for RB
Bill Wehrspann.
17. 2006 Wheaton Warrenville South – RB Dan Dierking (Purdue) is the key to the Tigers’
offense as he rushed for 2,332-yards and 33-touchdowns in 2006. PK Patrick Rooney has
a tremendous leg with a long field goal of 50-yards.
18. 2010 Wheaton Warrenville South – QB Reilly O’Toole (Illinois) directs an offense that
scored 40+-points in 11 different games. He completed better than 70% of his throws.
19. 1997 New Lenox Lincoln-Way – QB Cory Paus (UCLA) and company battle neighbor
Lincoln-Way East in the opener. RB Rich Schutt takes a gaudy 9.7-ypc into the contest.
20. 2005 Frankfort Lincoln-Way East – QB Anthony Kropp combines with WRs Hank
Johnston and Joe Mau to give the Griffins one of the best passing-attacks in the field.
21. 1993 Chicago Heights Marian Catholic – The Spartans feature RB Terrence Marable who
rushed for 2291-yards and 35-touchdowns in leading MC to a 14-0 record. The five
offensive lineman average 260-lbs.
22. 1959 Chicago Lane Tech & 1959 Chicago Vocational – The “tie-breaker” will be decided
54-years later. In the actual 1959 Public School Championship game, Lane Tech
advanced after a 6-6 tie score, by winning the penetration battle, 5-4. The Indians went
on to defeat Fenwick in the ’59 Prep Bowl and finished #3 in the nation (NSNS poll).
Vocational’s Mr. Everything, Richard “Dick” Butkus, will be waiting to wreak havoc.
23. 1992 Wheaton Warrenville South – The earliest of four WWS squads to make the
tournament. RB Phil Adler is the catalyst.
24. 1970 Dolton Thornridge – Superstar Quinn Buckner will try to carry the over-achieving
Falcons on a deep run.