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

Michael O’Brien’s Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 7

Hersey’s Colton Gumino (1) drops back to pass against Prospect. (Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times)

The top half of the rankings remained very stable this week. Geneva and Hersey flip-flop after the Vikings lost a close one to Batavia.

Obviously, Geneva would have preferred to win the rivalry game, but the score proved the Vikings are a solid top-15 team. The same with Downers Grove North, which gave York a massive challenge without star running back Noah Battle.

Wheaton North and Prospect dropped out this week. The Falcons lost to rival Wheaton-Warrenville South and the Knights weren’t competitive against Hersey.

St. Francis joins for the first time this season. The Spartans are one of the hottest teams in the area, with wins against Joliet Catholic and IC Catholic in the last two weeks.

The Hilltoppers return to the rankings after knocking off Marist. Joliet Catholic’s losses this season are to St. Rita and St. Francis and both games were close.

And yes, Brother Rice holds on after losing 42-7 at home against Mount Carmel. The Crusaders are 3-3. They’ve also lost to Loyola and Marist. But their win against Maine South is one of the most impressive victories any team in the rankings holds. And they just pass the look test.

Super 25 for Week 7
With record and last week’s ranking

1. Mount Carmel (6-0) 1
Friday at Fenwick

2. Loyola (6-0) 2
Friday at No. 21 IC Catholic

3. Lincoln-Way East (6-0) 3
Friday vs. Homewood-Flossmoor

4. York (6-0) 4
Friday vs. Glenbard West

5. Batavia (5-1) 5
Friday vs. St. Charles East

6. Maine South (5-1) 6
Friday vs. Glenbrook South

7. Prairie Ridge (6-0) 7
Friday at Burlington Central

8. Kankakee (6-0) 8
Friday vs. Bloom

9. Barrington (6-0) 9
Friday at Hoffman Estates

10. Hersey (6-0) 11
Friday at Rolling Meadows

11. Geneva (5-1) 10
Friday at Wheaton North