Glenbard West dropped four spots in the Class 7A state football rankings after its Week 4 loss at Downers Grove North.
The Hilltoppers fell from No. 5 to a tie for No. 9 in the Week 5 Illinois Media Poll, released Thursday, Sept. 17. Glenbard West (2-2, 1-1 West Suburban Silver) collected just 21 points in the statewide vote of sports writers and broadcasters, tied with unbeaten Jacobs (4-0).
East St. Louis leads Class 7A with 14 first-place votes and 140 points at 3-1. Downers Grove North, the team that beat Glenbard West 24-14 in Week 4, climbed to No. 4 at 4-0 with 100 points.
The Hilltoppers were shut out after the first 13 minutes against Downers Grove North and committed 11 penalties, Shaw Local's Friday Night Drive reported. QB AJ Rayford threw for 159 yards and ran for a 76-yard touchdown, and Keyante Johnson broke a 77-yard scoring run.
Defensive leader Finn Sheeley grabbed an interception, but the Hilltoppers play without injured Bryce Ellens.
A ranked opponent in Week 5
Glenbard West faces another test Friday, Sept. 18, at No. 4 Class 8A Lyons (4-0, 1-0 West Suburban Silver). Kickoff is 7:30 p.m.
Lyons earned 81 points in the 8A poll, trailing only Loyola, Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East. Lions QB Brendan McCabe threw for 220 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two scores in a 38-28 Week 4 win over Hinsdale Central. RB EJ Kuhlman rushed for 143 yards on 23 carries and has six touchdowns this season.
Glenbard West beat Lyons 24-17 last year.
Montini holds No. 2 in 4A
Lombard's Montini Catholic sits at No. 2 in Class 4A with a 3-1 record and 134 points, including two first-place votes. Rochester leads the class with 12 first-place votes and 146 points.
Around the district
None of the other three Glenbard schools appear in any class of the Week 5 poll, but all three carry momentum into Friday.
Glenbard North (2-2, 0-2 DuKane) hosts Wheaton Warrenville South (2-2, 1-1) at 7 p.m. Friday. The Panthers lost 22-21 in overtime to St. Charles East in Week 4.
RB Angelo Gatses has rushed for 544 yards and nine touchdowns through four games, topping 100 yards in three of them. Junior QB Logan Kramer has thrown for 498 yards and six touchdowns with two interceptions.
Glenbard East hosts district rival Glenbard South at 7 p.m. Friday. The Rams have outscored Fenton and Elmwood Park 103-0 in their last two Upstate Eight East games.
Sophomore QB Carter Pohlman threw a 67-yard touchdown pass to Mason Wright against Elmwood Park. Malachi Miller returned a punt 46 yards and a kickoff 85 yards for scores in the same game. Glenbard East has won the last four meetings against Glenbard South, including a 21-14 result last year.
Glenbard South rolled past West Chicago 49-6 in Week 4. The Raiders have averaged 55 points per game in their three wins.
Tommy Bauman threw a 50-yard touchdown pass, and the Raiders returned a kickoff and a punt for touchdowns while recording four interceptions against West Chicago. Kickoff for the all-Glenbard matchup is 7 p.m. Friday in Lombard.
