One month from today, high school teams in Illinois will be hosting their first day of spring practices, meaning the official countdown to the season is on. With games quickly approaching, the race for the state championship has never been more wide open, and several teams are poised to make a serious run. Lake Forest enters the year as the defending champion, and top team on the list, but a talented group of challengers are serious threats to knock the defending champs off the top spot. As teams prepare to hit the field, we take a closer look at the preseason top 10 and the key storylines to watch in 2025.

1. Lake Forest – The returning state champs claim the top spot to start the season. The Scouts return almost their entire roster, but the graduation of senior captains Graham Garrigan and Augie Silver represent massive losses. On offense they will be led by Lafayette commit, Lucas Kroner, who will be in the conversation for the states top midfielder this season. Also, we can’t forget about Emmett Lee who was already a major contributor as a freshman last season. Lee is in the conversation as the top 2027 player in the state. While the offense is full of talent, defense will once again remain Lake Forest’s signature position with an imposing unit led by Yale commit Danny Van Camp. The Scouts get the first crack at the top spot in this season’s rankings. If they can fill the big shoes of Garrigan and Silver, they will be tough to derail in their quest to repeat.
   
2. St. Viator – St. Viator has fielded championship quality rosters for a majority of the past decade, but they have yet to capture their first state championship. Viator enters the season returning almost every major contributor from last season. Despite having their season ended by Lake Forest last season, the Lions are a major obstacle on the Scouts’ path to a repeat championship. The 2025 Lions boast a state-leading five Division 1 commitments headlined by dual High Point committed and returning All-Americans Michael Tauscher and Emerson McGrath. This year’s roster may be Viator’s most talented to date, giving them another serious chance to capture the state championship. However, despite all of the talent, until Viator proves they can win the big game, questions will remain.
   
3. New Trier – In contrast to Viator, New Trier is a program that has consistently delivered championships. However, they have not reached their usual championship level since the class of 2025 entered the building. Their current roster is headlined by do-it-all midfielder Hans Huber, returning All-State defender Ian Schnizlein, and faceoff specialist Aaron Pressman, who is committed to the University of Denver. New Trier has the talent of a state championship team, but with no current players having experienced any of the program’s 13 state titles, it will be up to one of the state’s most decorated coaching staffs to leverage their winning pedigree and lead the Trevians back to the top.
   
4. Loyola Academy – When it comes to championship pedigree, no team can claim more state titles than Loyola Academy, with 14 rings to their name. Despite their rich history, Loyola has not added to its trophy cabinet since winning back-to-back championships in 2021 and 2022. Over the past two seasons, their playoff runs have ended in the state quarterfinals. Led by recent Air Force commit Drew Schwitzenberg and star goalie Aiden Hughes—returning to the net for his third consecutive season—the team on the hill will once again be in the conversation for the 2025 state championship. Senior captain Tommy Ghislandi will lean on his championship experience from three state titles (one in lacrosse, two in football) as he looks to finish his lacrosse career with another ring before heading to Army in the fall to play Division I football. As always, Loyola boasts major talent, but the real question is whether their supporting cast and underclassmen can provide enough of a boost to overcome the state’s other top contenders.
   
5. Wheaton Academy – In 2023, Head Coach Geof Weisenborn led a historically talented roster to a dominant state championship run, capping the season with a running-clock victory in the title game. Last year, however, the Warriors’ season ended in the state quarterfinals against Glenbard West. Outside of Lafayette commit Charlie Foley, Wheaton’s roster lacks the experience of past seasons. To return to championship form, they will need to rely heavily on an emerging core, including 2027 standout Grant Adams, who is already in the conversation as one of the state’s best. If Wheaton hopes to climb the rankings, their young core must develop quickly and prove they have what it takes to reclaim the throne.
   
6. Glenbard West – Glenbard West made a run to last season’s state championship before falling to Lake Forest. The Hilltoppers return one of the state’s most dangerous attackmen, Providence commit, Sam Clark. Glenbard West’s defense will once again pose challenges for even the state’s best offenses. One thing worth acknowledging is that this Glenbard West group has played a lot of games together, and with a talent like Clark, they can be a dangerous team. Glenbard’s core will need to find a way to consistently score goals if they hope to make another deep run.
   
7. Barrington – Much like Glenbard West, Barrington is a tightly knit group preparing for one final run together. The Broncos stampeded through the MSL last season but have their sights set even higher this year. Barrington’s offense is led by Bellarmine commit Jack Fischel and Alabama-Huntsville commit Aydan Weiszhar. The two offensive threats share a chemistry that can only be achieved through years of playing together, making them a tough duo to stop. Barrington has the horses to dominate the MSL again this season, but is their stable deep enough for a deeper postseason run?
   
8. St. Ignatius – St. Ignatius made a surprise run to last season’s Final Four and will be headlined in 2025 by Denison commit Marty Junkins. Despite graduating some key offensive players, Ignatius returns enough talent to open the season inside the state’s top 10. Ignatius came within a goal of capturing the Chicago Catholic League title from Loyola, but can they replace their key scorers and make another run?
   
9. York – York is led by RIT commit Evan Gaughan at midfield. After Gaughan, York will rely heavily on a young group of players who are still developing. There is plenty of reason to be optimistic about the future of York, but until their young players gain the experience they need, York will remain on the fringe of the top 10.
   
10. Lake Zurich – Lake Zurich returns two All-State players in attackman Coplan Oettinger and defender Reece Katzenberger. They also have a talented group of 2027s who contributed as freshmen last season and are expected to take a big step forward this year, playing a major role for Lake Zurich. Despite their talented core, Lake Zurich will need to prove themselves against strong out-of-conference opponents during the regular season in order to maintain their spot in the top 10.

Honorable Mention: Marist, Neuqua Valley, Maine South, Hinsdale Central, Huntley, Washington, Glenbrook North, Naperville North, and Warren

Keep an eye on Illinois Lacrosse Network to see how the top 10 evolves as the year goes on!

Who did we miss out on? Let us know in the comments below!