Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football…

Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 12

Mount Carmel’s Kevin Gardner (19) and Darrion Gilliam (17) celebrate after a touchdown against Prospect. (Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times)

We’ve reached the quarterfinals, which means only 64 teams remain alive in the Illinois High School Association state playoffs. I made the executive decision to stick with teams still playing for this week’s Super 25. In past years I’ve kept some of the larger class schools that put together impressive seasons in the rankings at this point, but that didn’t happen this year.

Hersey, which finishes 10-1 after losing to Downers Grove North, only beat one team that was ranked this season (Prospect). So the Huskies fall from No. 6 to out entirely.

Sticking with teams still in the playoffs led to a major shakeup at the bottom of the Super 25. Lincoln-Way West, St. Ignatius, Cary-Grove, St. Laurence, Providence, Joliet Catholic and Montini all made the cut.

Most of those schools have been ranked over the course of the season. Only St. Ignatius and Montini make debuts.

Super 25 rankings for Week 12
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Loyola (11-0) 1
8A: at No. 20 St. Ignatius

2. Mount Carmel (10-1) 2
7A: at Quincy

3. Lincoln-Way East (11-0) 3
8A: at No. 12 Warren

4. Batavia (10-1) 4
7A: at Hononegah

5. Maine South (10-1) 5
8A: at No. 6 Barrington

6. Barrington (11-0) 7
8A: vs. No. 5 Maine South

7. York (10-1) 8
8A: vs. Edwardsville

8. Downers Grove North (9-2) 11
7A: at No. 17 Lincoln-Way West

9. Kankakee (11-0) 9
6A: vs. East St. Louis

10. St. Francis (9-2) 10
5A: vs. No. 11 Morgan Park