Dupage Policy Journal

Over the first half century of the Illinois High School Football Playoffs, DuPage County high schools have made 134 appearances in the state semifinals-- 89 from public high schools, or 66 percent.

That's according to a DuPage Policy Journal analysis of 50 years of IHSA playoff results, from 1974, when the state series began, through 2024.

DuPage ranks second among Illinois counties, behind Cook (209 qualifiers) and ahead of Will (79), McHenry (50), St. Clair (49), McLean (46), Sangamon (44), Lake (43) and Henry (38).

A DuPage County high school has advanced to the football semifinals in 48 of 50 years, with the only exceptions being 1977 and 1978.

DuPage County counts three qualifiers in the 2025 IHSA football semifinals, played this coming Sat. Nov. 22.

The are Montini Catholic in Lombard in 4A, Wheaton St. Francis in 5A and Downers Grove North in 7A.

Montini and St. Francis are private Catholic high schools.

All told, 27 DuPage County different high schools have made the IHSA state semifinals since 1974-- 21 public and six private-- bringing home a collective  44 football state championships.

Statewide: 76 percent public vs. 24 percent private

Between 1974 and 2024, 1,360 teams statewide have qualified for the IHSA football semifinals, 1,029 of which were from public high schools, or 76 percent.

All told, 356 different Illinois high schools have had a team that has made the semifinals-- 53 of which have been private, or 15 percent.

Of 678 team state final appearances, 482 have been public high schools (71 percent) and of 339 state champions, 213 (63 percent) have been public.

Schools with the most IHSA football semifinal appearances in state history are Chicago Mt. Carmel (30), Joliet Catholic (25), East St. Louis, Sr. (22), Providence Catholic (19), Maroa-Forsyth (18), Loyola Academy (18), Springfield Sacred Heart Griffin (16), Geneseo (16), Morris (16), Wheaton-Warrenville South (15), Montini Catholic (14), Metamora (14), DuQuoin (14), St. Rita (13), Tolono Unity (13), Rochester (13), Maine South (12), Mt Carmel Ill. (12),  Bishop McNamara (12), Newman Central Catholic (11), Driscoll Catholic (11), Arcola (11), Rockford Boylan (11), and Lake Zurich (11).

The IHSA football playoffs started with five classes (1974-1979), added a sixth class in 1980, then classes 7 and 8 in 2001.

Initially, 16 teams made the playoffs in each of five classes, a total of 80. 

Currently, 32 teams across eight classes qualify for the playoffs, a total of 256.

Team classification was originally organized by school conference, not enrollment. Each conference was assigned to a single class.

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DuPage County High Schools that have qualified for the IHSA Football Semifinals

High School	#	Years
Wheaton-Warrenville South / Wheaton Central*	15	1976, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011
Montini Catholic	14	1982, 1993, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2023, 2024
Driscoll Catholic*	11	1983, 1990, 1991, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
Glenbard West	10	1976, 1983, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2022
Naperville Central	9	1975, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2011, 2013, 2024
Immaculate Conception/ IC Catholic	9	1974, 2002, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022
Wheaton North	8	1979, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1988, 2001, 2002, 2021
Naperville North	7	1987, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2007
Glenbard North	7	1982, 1991, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2011
Downers Grove North	5	1990, 1998, 2003, 2004, 2023
Wheaton St. Francis	5	2008, 2014, 2022, 2023, 2024
Benet Academy	5	1981, 1984, 2012, 2016, 2017
York	5	1995, 2006, 2022, 2023, 2024
Downers Grove South	4	1984, 1986, 1993, 2001
Hinsdale Central	3	2002, 2005, 2008
Willowbrook	3	1974, 1975, 2019
Waubonsie Valley	2	1992, 2015
Hinsdale South	2	1980, 2015
Addison Trail	2	1983, 1997

* Wheaton Central changed its name to Wheaton-Warrenville South in 1992

**Driscoll Catholic closed in 2009

DuPage County high schools with a single IHSA football semifinal appearance include: Fenton (1984), Glenbard East (1999), Bartlett (2008), Lake Park (2003), Lisle (1985), Neuqua Valley (2012), West Chicago (1974) and Wheaton Academy (2023).