Even in the offseason, Glenbard West High School's football program finds ways to score.
The Hilltoppers climbed to near the peak of MaxPreps' recently announced list of the "top 15 most dominant Illinois football programs" in the last decade, landing in the No. 4 spot.
MaxPreps, which is owned by CBS, uses a points system for its rankings. State championships are worth 20 points and runners-up earn 10 points. Teams also get points for where they finish in the rankings at the end of a season.
Glenbard West earned 227 points, beating out Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin by 8 points. The top three teams were Lombard Montini with 256 points, Chicago Mount Carmel with 248 and Wilmette Loyola wth 242 points.
Glenbard West was the only public school among the top five.
Other schools making the list include Metamora High School, which earned 108 points thanks in part to two state titles and one runner-up spot; and New Lenox Providence Catholic, which ranked 15th with 113 points.
Still, while MaxPreps list is computer-generated, the Peoria Journal Star pointed out that it still has a few kinks, like leaving places unfilled. In 2006, Chicago Heights Marian High School was No. 11 and was followed by Providence at No. 13. There was no team at No. 12. The same thing happened in 2007, when no team was ranked at No. 4. Addison Driscoll Catholic was meant to take both of those spots but closed during the year.
Glenbard North High School kicks off its football season on Saturday, August 26, against Maine South at Duchon Field, according to the school's website.
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