Nine 2025 playoff teams begin the season in the top 10, while Lake Zurich, Warren, Antioch and Wauconda look like the leading contenders in their conferences.
Top 10 teams
1. Lake Zurich (9-3): Dragan Teonic, who has coached at Hersey, Larkin and South Elgin, takes the reins after Ron Planz’s seven-year tenure. In contrast to the other programs Teonic has led, the Bears are not in need of a turnaround, having won at least eight games in 13 of the past 19 full seasons and advanced to the Class 6A quarterfinals last season. He inherits a roster that will lean on its defense to contend for the North Suburban Conference title. Senior linebackers Arturo Zarinana and Brock Rubicz combined for 181 tackles and are joined by three other returning starters, all juniors, in the box. Defensive end Jackson Lewandowski has multiple Division I offers and leads that trio, which includes linebacker Tyler Bonelli-Schultz and lineman Rocco Dicanio. On offense, where there are no returning starters, junior running back Adrian Stanek, senior tight end Tanner Dye and senior wide receiver Luke Papesch hope to make a splash.
2. Warren (9-2): The Blue Devils will take on a new identity after the graduation of Aaron Stewart. Junior Jonathan Randolph gets the first crack at becoming the next in a long line of productive running backs. Also helping shape the new look will be junior quarterback Xavier Vinson, who has multiple Division III offers, and senior tight end Kentrell Lear projects as a viable target. Both lines are talented and will help set the tone in the NSC. Among the standouts on the offensive interior are seniors Jayden Murguia and Emmanuel Ubaka, who have multiple college offers, and Immanuel Gahima and junior Nolan Lopez. On defense, high-upside junior lineman Kaden Millbrooks and senior linebacker Braylan McMillon, who was the team’s second-leading tackler in 2025, will fuel the front seven, while junior Jaden Wright will steer the secondary.
3. Antioch (8-3): With the three leading rushers returning to an offense that averaged 38 points, the Sequoits expect to score a lot and have their sights set on recapturing the Northern Lake County Conference title. Senior Gavin Stone, who rushed for 1,034 yards and 13 touchdowns, will share the load with juniors Logan Lennon, a Division I prospect, and Kelen Wilson. Helping open those running lanes will be 6-foot-5, 285-pound junior lineman Charlie Andre, another Division I prospect, and senior lineman Giulian Santoyo, while senior Ethan Patel returns to play quarterback. Antioch also has some continuity on defense with five starters back, led by senior linebacker Willie Hamilton, senior defensive back Alex Herstowski and senior defensive end Harrison Victor.
4. Carmel (8-3): Although offseason headlines centered around senior quarterback Trae Taylor‘s transfer out of state, the Corsairs remain ambitious. Taking over behind center will be senior Reed Dangel, a Warren transfer whose transition will be eased by the presence of talented skill players around him. Those include junior running backs Jaquel Edmonds and Jorden Moore, who combined to rush for 1,493 yards and 15 TDs, and senior wide receivers Kyron Hart, who made 38 catches for 761 yards and eight TDs, and Michael Pierre. Junior Wyatt VanBoening, a major Division I prospect, and senior center Trey Foster, a St. Thomas commit, will anchor the offensive line. The defense has two more major Division I prospects: linebacker Jameer Miles, who had 97 tackles, six sacks and five interceptions, and junior defensive lineman Kristian Chadick, who had seven sacks.
5. Wauconda (8-3): After the second undefeated regular season in five years, the Bulldogs return nine starters for their bid to repeat as NLCC champions. Senior Brody Rudolph will take on more of the load as a ball carrier while reprising his place on defense, where he had a team-high 73 tackles at linebacker. Senior wide receiver Luke Sickmeir, who had 33 catches for 782 yards, gives first-year senior quarterback Cooper Karaszewski a talented target, and all-state wrestler Finn Loomis is back to anchor both lines. Linebacker/running back Jarren Cooley, lineman Mason Gomez, running back/defensive lineman Dylan Orlando, lineman Jayden Sanders, linebacker/offensive lineman Cashton Silton and defensive back/running back Elijah Tang, all seniors, will be key contributors.
Libertyville tight end Brock Williams, shown during a practice on campus on Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026, is a Texas recruit. (John Starks / Daily Herald)
6. Libertyville (5-5): The headliner for the Wildcats is senior tight end Brock Williams, a Texas recruit who had 40 catches for 580 yards and 10 TDs. Senior wide receiver Charlie Paden will also figure prominently in the passing game. Senior running back Aiden Weaver provides balance on the ground and will have two stalwarts, seniors Aleks Nikolich and Colten Siebert, helping clear open lanes. Senior linebacker Kaden Butt is a leader on defense, a unit that also features seniors Jacob Syc up front and Reid Williams at safety. The Wildcats also have senior Jack Zaban, one of the top kickers in the nation. His 57-yard field goal last season tied for the fourth longest in IHSA history.
7. Stevenson (6-4): Seven starters return for the Patriots, who will try to earn their fifth straight playoff berth. Seniors Brandon Hersh, who had a team-high 25 catches for 428 yards, and Dylan Fawcett are returning starters at wide receiver, and junior Luke Clark should also find a role in the passing game. Senior Hayden Hudleston figures to be one of several players who get carries, and junior Evan Holubetz and Alexander Murillo will help stabilize the line again. On defense, senior Jack Wyma is the lone returning starter up front, but classmate Joshua Olex is poised to contribute heavily. Seniors Brody Delevitt and Isaiah Yun are returning starters in the secondary.
8. Highland Park (7-3): The Giants are poised to reach greater heights with a strong nucleus returning from the Central Suburban League North title team. Senior quarterback Gustav Crane, who totaled 2,440 yards and 26 TDs, will be the focus on offense and will have junior John Boman in the backfield as the Giants compete in the new CSL Central. One of Gustav’s receiving targets will be senior captain Max Stevens, who will also help in the secondary. Two of the standouts up front are senior captains Max Glazier, a rare four-sport athlete, and Addison Courtman-Simanek.
9. Lake Forest (4-5): The Scouts, who missed the playoffs for only the third time in 19 full seasons, are aiming for a return to the postseason. Leading the way on offense will be two players whose junior seasons were derailed by injuries, running back Ollie Steiner and wide receiver Jack Burger. Three experienced players return up front as well, including seniors Jack Arenas and Rowdy Greenlees. The defensive front should hit the ground running with seniors Michael Heman and Charlie Hornberger back and classmate George Holland shifting to the line. Senior Michael Knight returns to the secondary.
10. Vernon Hills (5-5): Colton Jewell succeeds Bill Bellecomo, becoming only the third coach in school history. Jewell, a 2016 Lakes graduate, will have a senior-laden group that qualified for the Class 5A playoffs last year after a combined seven wins in the previous three seasons. Senior quarterback Colin McMurray keeps the keys to the offense and is joined by seniors Alex Agueda-Martinez and Stephan Poleacu, both returning starters up front. Senior linebacker Michael Lewis, who had 79 tackles and three sacks, will also receive some carries, and senior Liam Wozniak, junior Carson Alper and speedy sophomore Omari Miller will comprise the receiving corps.
25 players to watch
• Jack Burger, Lake Forest, senior, wide receiver
• Wyatt Cornell, Grant, senior, linebacker
• Gustav Crane, Highland Park, senior, quarterback
• Beckett Dovel, Grayslake North, senior, linebacker/running back
• Jamere French, Zion-Benton, senior, running back
• Kyron Hart, Carmel, senior, wide receiver
• Logan Lennon, Antioch, junior, running back/defensive back
• Jackson Lewandowski, Lake Zurich, junior, defensive lineman
• Braylan McMillon, Warren, senior, linebacker
• Colin McMurray, Vernon Hills, senior, quarterback
• Jameer Miles, Carmel, junior, linebacker
• Kaden Millbrooks, Warren, junior, defensive lineman
• Aleks Nikolich, Libertyville, senior, offensive lineman
• Will Pasquier, Mundelein, senior, defensive lineman
• Jack Patten, Grayslake Central, senior, offensive lineman
• Brock Rubicz, Lake Zurich, senior, linebacker
• Brody Rudolph, Wauconda, senior, linebacker/running back
• Louie Shaffer, Deerfield, senior, linebacker/slotback
• Luke Sickmeir, Wauconda, senior, wide receiver
• Gavin Stone, Antioch, senior, running back
• Wyatt VanBoening, Carmel, junior, offensive lineman
• Lepresce Wade, North Chicago, senior, linebacker
• Evan West, Round Lake, senior, quarterback
• Brock Williams, Libertyville, senior, tight end
• Arturo Zarinana, Lake Zurich, senior, linebacker
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter.