Top 25 - Pre-season

[23andCounting]

1.    Brownsburg

2.   Westfield

3.   Carmel

4.   Center Grove

5.   New Pal

6.   Cathedral

7.    Lawrence North

8.   Carroll

9.   Hamilton Southeastern

10.  Penn

11.  Crown Point

12.  Fishers

13.  Chatard

14.  Warren Central

15.  Decatur Central

16.  Dwenger

17.  Roncalli

18.  East Central

19.  Ben Davis

20.  Merrillville

21.  Franklin Central

22. Lafayette Jeff

23. Bloomington South

24. Lawrence Central

25. Avon

Honorable Mention: Andrean, Cascade, Concord, East Noble, Gibson Southern, Mishawaka, Zionsville

[Komets2727]

First thing I see is Dwenger at 16. Hmmm, seems a bit high, especially given a conversation  recently that we had when I praised Dwenger. Are these rankings based on last year or where you really believe these teams are this year? 

[psaboy]

Can't even throw in the once mighty Snider Panthers into Honorable Mention? Come on, throw em a bone 

[23andCounting]

24 minutes ago, Komets2727 said:

First thing I see is Dwenger at 16. Hmmm, seems a bit high, especially given a conversation  recently that we had when I praised Dwenger. Are these rankings based on last year or where you really believe these teams are this year? 

High school pre-season polls aren't easy. I imagine there will be a lot of movement in the next couple of weeks. I give a lot of credit to last seasons performance. I believe you're at the top until someone knocks you off. I took the coaches poll into consideration. And a little bit of gut based one what I'm hearing in social media. Trying to give an unbiased opinion. If @temptation ever shows up, he can have the poll back. I didn't want to see the Top 25 go away in his absence. 

[23andCounting]

26 minutes ago, psaboy said:

Can't even throw in the once mighty Snider Panthers into Honorable Mention? Come on, throw em a bone 

They fell off the radar last season. More of a "wait and see" kind of a team. 

[hhpatriot04]

No love for the Mighty Trojans of Chatard?

[23andCounting]

9 hours ago, hhpatriot04 said:

No love for the Mighty Trojans of Chatard?

I've got them at #13.............ahead of some pretty darn good programs. Think they should be higher?

I think my big miss might have been Heritage Hills..............probably Honorable Mention consideration. The Top 25 is brutal. Lots of great programs in Indiana. 

Edited Tuesday at 11:07 AM by 23andCounting

[hhpatriot04]

4 hours ago, 23andCounting said:

I've got them at #13.............ahead of some pretty darn good programs. Think they should be higher?

I think my big miss might have been Heritage Hills..............probably Honorable Mention consideration. The Top 25 is brutal. Lots of great programs in Indiana. 

Oh, I missed Chatard at No. 13.

Patriots have a lot to prove after some big losses. I'd have them ranked someplace between 8-HM in 4A. Jasper and Reitz are going to want their revenge. I haven't heard how the scrimmage with Jasper went. 

[23andCounting]

38 minutes ago, hhpatriot04 said:

Oh, I missed Chatard at No. 13.

Patriots have a lot to prove after some big losses. I'd have them ranked someplace between 8-HM in 4A. Jasper and Reitz are going to want their revenge. I haven't heard how the scrimmage with Jasper went. 

This is the kind of feedback I need. It's difficult to keep track of of all teams around the state. If the talent is there, Todd Wilkerson seems to know how to get the most of it. But in small town, run on talent can by cyclical. 

[hhpatriot04]

4 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

This is the kind of feedback I need. It's difficult to keep track of of all teams around the state. If the talent is there, Todd Wilkerson seems to know how to get the most of it. But in small town, run on talent can by cyclical. 

New coach, Kevin Tempel ... classmate of mine.

Tyce Winchell is a name to watch. QB/RB/DB and Micah Toler at WR.

[Komets2727]

On 8/17/2026 at 9:11 PM, 23andCounting said:

High school pre-season polls aren't easy. I imagine there will be a lot of movement in the next couple of weeks. I give a lot of credit to last seasons performance. I believe you're at the top until someone knocks you off. I took the coaches poll into consideration. And a little bit of gut based one what I'm hearing in social media. Trying to give an unbiased opinion. If @temptation ever shows up, he can have the poll back. I didn't want to see the Top 25 go away in his absence. 

Glad you are doing the poll in Temp’s absence. Gives us all something to talk about. Just make sure that 24 of the 25 teams in the poll are Indy based… Rest of the state should be playing flag football

[23andCounting]

11 hours ago, Komets2727 said:

Glad you are doing the poll in Temp’s absence. Gives us all something to talk about. Just make sure that 24 of the 25 teams in the poll are Indy based… Rest of the state should be playing flag football

Actually, if you look at that list, everyone of those teams is a pretty darn good program. Looking at some of the teams that were left off makes you realize how strong football in Indiana really is. The Carroll vs Hamilton Southeastern game really intrigues me. It will go a long way in determining whether the north will be a contender or a pretender in 6A. The Week 1 slate is off the charts throughout the state. I'm not sure I can ever remember a week where there were so many marquee matchups on tap. 

[Footballking16]

Warren and Chatard way too low

[Boilernation]

4 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

Warren and Chatard way too low

ExploringLocal Private K-12 Schools

 

Agreed. How is Cathedral looking this year? Seems like they don't have the high end D1 talent lately that they're used to getting. 

[Footballking16]

3 minutes ago, Boilernation said:

Agreed. How is Cathedral looking this year? Seems like they don't have the high end D1 talent lately that they're used to getting. 

From what I hear, a major work in-progress. Sounds like defense will be their strength but they are breaking in a new QB and several new offensive lineman. 

Edited Wednesday at 02:55 PM by Footballking16

[Boilernation]

1 hour ago, 23andCounting said:

Actually, if you look at that list, everyone of those teams is a pretty darn good program. Looking at some of the teams that were left off makes you realize how strong football in Indiana really is. 

This! A lot of good football teams in all corners of the state. Your list doesn't have much from SW Indiana, but I'm sure Gibson Southern, Evansville Memorial, Jasper, Heritage Hills, Evansville North, or Evansville Reitz can produce at least 2 teams good enough to make a Top 25. 

It's easy for the Central Indy powers to take the spotlight, but it's also possible they elevated the teams below them. I'm sure there are lots of coaches around the state trying to learn from guys like Kyle Ralph and Eric Moore. 

[Boilernation]

9 minutes ago, Footballking16 said:

From what I hear, a major work in-progress. Sounds like defense will be their strength but they are breaking in a new QB and several new offensive lineman. 

Yikes. Seems like a that was the motto last year. Nothing like trying to break an offense in against Ben Davis, Loyola, and then St. X. Talk about throwing them to the wolves.

 

[23andCounting]

2 hours ago, Footballking16 said:

Warren and Chatard way too low

No shame in Chatard being #13, there are some damn good teams in front of them. I'll believe the WC hype train when I see it. It's burnt them in the past. Good feedback though, that's what these polls are about. 

 

[23andCounting]

2 hours ago, Boilernation said:

This! A lot of good football teams in all corners of the state. Your list doesn't have much from SW Indiana, but I'm sure Gibson Southern, Evansville Memorial, Jasper, Heritage Hills, Evansville North, or Evansville Reitz can produce at least 2 teams good enough to make a Top 25. 

It's easy for the Central Indy powers to take the spotlight, but it's also possible they elevated the teams below them. I'm sure there are lots of coaches around the state trying to learn from guys like Kyle Ralph and Eric Moore. 

The Top 25 is a vicious list. I know less about the SW area of the state, so feedback is appreciated. Bloomington South seems to be getting a lot of love statewide. Southwest is more dominant in the lower classes, no?

[hhpatriot04]

4 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

The Top 25 is a vicious list. I know less about the SW area of the state, so feedback is appreciated. Bloomington South seems to be getting a lot of love statewide. Southwest is more dominant in the lower classes, no?

The Southwest generally has the best 2-4A teams south of Indy. (I'm going to seek shelter now after that comment.)

[23andCounting]

12 minutes ago, hhpatriot04 said:

The Southwest generally has the best 2-4A teams south of Indy. (I'm going to seek shelter now after that comment.)

I would argue 4A. You have East Central, but I think NE Indiana can make a claim with teams like Dwenger and East Noble. 

I think it's hard to argue 2A and 3A. It seems that the south has owned those classes as of late. It's just hard for a 2A or 3A program to crack the Top 25. Avon is #25, and I would think they'd take the 2A or 3A state title. Nothing against smaller programs, I think Adams Central and Bishop Luers are the two best programs in NE Indiana. They just don't have the resources to compete with schools that are 2000+ in enrollment. 

[hhpatriot04]

10 minutes ago, 23andCounting said:

I would argue 4A. You have East Central, but I think NE Indiana can make a claim with teams like Dwenger and East Noble. 

I think it's hard to argue 2A and 3A. It seems that the south has owned those classes as of late. It's just hard for a 2A or 3A program to crack the Top 25. Avon is #25, and I would think they'd take the 2A or 3A state title. Nothing against smaller programs, I think Adams Central and Bishop Luers are the two best programs in NE Indiana. They just don't have the resources to compete with schools that are 2000+ in enrollment. 

Maybe do a 1A-3A Top 25 😛 😛 😛 

[23andCounting]

31 minutes ago, hhpatriot04 said:

Maybe do a 1A-3A Top 25 😛 😛 😛 

Good grief. I asked myself if I even wanted to do this one. It's a weekly commitment. Maybe you should do a small school Top 25. Just promise that Luers and Adams Central will be in the Top 10. Give the south the other eight spots. 

[LC_Bears_04]

What the hell, I'll give the preseason top 25 a shot.

1.  Brownsburg

2.  Westfield

3.  Carmel

4.  Warren Central

5.  Center Grove

6.  New Palestine

7.  Lawrence North

8.  Carroll

9.  Chatard

10.  Hamilton SE

11.  Penn

12.  Crown Point

13.  Cathedral

14.  Merrillville

15.  Ben Davis

16.  Avon

17.  Fishers

18.  Lawrence Central

19.  Zionsville

20.  Franklin Central

21.  Decatur Central

22.  Bloomington South

23.  East Central

24.  Concord

25.  Roncalli

[Just a dad]

On 8/19/2026 at 10:53 AM, Footballking16 said:

From what I hear, a major work in-progress. Sounds like defense will be their strength but they are breaking in a new QB and several new offensive lineman. 

IIRC, Cathedral had an exodus of players to North Central last year and the CYO talent that has become this years Sr class chose Chatard over Cathedral for football four years ago. Chatards freshman team back then was a juggernaut. Not sure if any of that matters four years later but that’s how I remember it happening.