Illinois high school football: Players to watch at the Illinois state championships

There will be plenty of talent on display this weekend

The final week of the Illinois high school football season is finally here. 

The season will conclude with eight state championship games – Class 1A, 2A, 3A and 4A on Friday and Class 5A, 6A, 7A and 8A on Saturday – at Hancock Stadium in Normal. 

>> Check out the Illinois high school football playoffs brackets here <<

For live updates and results, bookmark our Illinois high school football scoreboard: STATEWIDE ILLINOIS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD 

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Players to watch at the 2023 Illinois high school football championships 

Logan Abrams, FB, Cary-Grove

A sophomore, Abrams has been the leader out of the backfield for the Trojans this season. The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder has rushed for 1,493 yards and 24 touchdowns.

Connor Anderson, LB, Cary-Grove

Anderson was a sophomore starter on Cary-Grove’s 2021 6A championship squad. Now a senior, the 6-2, 200-pounder has helped lead the Trojans back to the big game and he has racked up 127 total tackles.

Aaron Ball, RB, St. Laurence

Ball has been a standout out of the backfield for St. Laurence this season. The 6-0, 190-pound senior has helped lead the Vikings to their first state championship appearance since 1979 and has rushed for 1,484 yards and 20 touchdowns. 

Charles Bass, CB, East St. Louis

One of the top prospects in Illinois in the Class of 2025, Bass has racked up 72 tackles, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one sack. The 6-2, 190-pounder has racked up more than 20 scholarship offers, including from Michigan, Oregon, Missouri, Tennessee, Ole Miss and Wisconsin. 

Noah Battle, RB, Downers Grove North

Battle has been a huge part of Downers Grove North’s success this season and has carried a heavy workload out of the Trojan backfield. The 5-11, 185-pounder has rushed for 1,098 yards and 17 touchdowns along with 163 receiving yards and another four scores. 

Robert Battle, QB, East St. Louis

A senior committed to Lindenwood University, Battle is starting his third consecutive state championship game for East St. Louis. The 6-1, 175-pounder has thrown for 2,034 yards and 26 touchdowns (with just two interceptions) while adding 734 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground. 

Leontre Bradford, S, East St. Louis

Bradford, a Purdue commit, has been the leader on the defensive side of the ball for the Flyers. The 6-0, 190-pound senior has totaled 87 tackles, three sacks, and three interceptions.

Cael Brezina, LB, Downers Grove North

A 6-3, 220-pound senior, Brezina has been the heart of the Trojans’ defense this season. The Iowa State commit has recorded 100 tackles (12 tackles for loss) and 6.5 sacks. 

Caden Considine, RB/LB, Byron

Considine has been a major contributor on both sides of the ball for Byron. On offense, the 6-0, 205-pound sophomore has 1,477 rushing yards and 25 touchdowns and has totaled 72 tackles (10 TFL), two sacks, and an interception. 

Cory Craig, FB/LB, Athens

Craig, a 5-8, 200-pound senior, is a key two-way contributor for Athens, which comes into the 2A title game with an 11-2 record. He has rushed for 1,684 yards and 28 touchdowns and he has racked up 79 tackles (4 TFL) and three sacks. 

Top 25 Illinois high school football rankings (11/21/2023)

Gage Dunker, RB, Lena-Winslow

A 6-1, 210-pound senior, Dunker is a force of nature for the three-time reigning Class 1A champion Panthers. He has rushed for 2,492 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Darrion Dupree, RB, Mount Carmel

A Wisconsin commit, Dupree has been a big playmaker for Mount Carmel all season long. The 5-11, 200-pound senior has rushed for 1,056 yards and 13 touchdowns and has had a big impact in the passing game with 704 yards receiving and eight touchdowns. 

Connor Durkin, LB, Lincoln-Way East

Durkin has been a senior leader of the undefeated Griffins, who have allowed just 68 points in 13 games. The 5-11, 200-pounder has 122 tackles, a sack, and an interception and has helped Lincoln-Way East hold opponents to a touchdown or less in 10 games this season. 

Jack Elliott, QB, Mount Carmel

A junior and first-year starter for the defending 7A champion Caravan, Elliott has led Mount Carmel back to the big game this year. The 6-0, 205-pounder has thrown for 2,861 yards and 32 touchdowns and added six rushing scores. 

Kyle Farrell, RB/DB, Wilmington

A junior, Farrell has been a difference-maker on both sides of the ball for Wilmington, which comes into the 2A championship with a 12-1 record and a 12-game win streak. The 5-11, 184-pounder has 2,056 yards and 32 total touchdowns along with 56 tackles and two interceptions.

Ryan Fitzgerald, QB, Loyola Academy

Fitzgerald has enjoyed a successful first season as starting quarterback while leading the Ramblers to a 13-0 record thus far. The 6-3, 190-pound junior has thrown for 1,853 yards and 18 touchdowns against just one interception and has rushed for 545 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Elijah Genenbacher, RB/LB, Camp Point Central

Genenbacher has been electric on both sides of the ball for the undefeated Panthers. The 6-1, 180-pound junior has rushed for 971 yards and 25 touchdowns and has 101 total tackles, a sack, and an interception.

HJ Grigsby, RB, Joliet Catholic

Grigsby has been the leader of the Hilltopper offense this season. The 6-0, 175-pound senior has been a workhorse as he’s racked up 1,490 yards and 13 touchdowns on 239 carries. 

Quinn Herbert, LB, Loyola Academy

Herbert is the leader of a strong Loyola Academy defensive unit. The 5-10, 195-pound senior has collected 80 total tackles, three interceptions and a sack for the undefeated Ramblers. 

Josh Janowski, OL, Lincoln-Way East

A University of Iowa commit, the 6-3, 275-pound senior has anchored the undefeated and top-ranked Griffins’ offensive line from his center spot. 

Vote: Who should be SBLive's Illinois High School Athlete of the Week (11/20/2023)?

Dillan Johnson, DL, Joliet Catholic

A 6-2, 280-pounder committed to Wisconsin for football and wrestling, Johnson has been a huge presence for the Hilltoppers this season. The standout senior and wrestling state champion has 78 tackles and 10 sacks. 

Gabe Kaminski, LB, Nazareth Academy

A junior and top-10 recruit in Illinois in the 2025 class, Kaminski has been a force for the Roadrunners’ defense. The 6-3, 220-pounder has recorded 116 total tackles (37 TFL) and 15 sacks and has helped Nazareth Academy win eight of its last nine games.

Brayden Leathers, OL/LB, Athens

A 6-1, 195-pound senior, Leathers has been the leader of Athens’ defense and has been a member of the offensive line that has paved the way for more than 4,000 rushing yards. On defense, he has totaled 137 tackles (11 TFL), two sacks, and an interception. 

Logan Malachuk, QB, Nazareth Academy

After an 0-4 start to the season, Malachuk has led the defending 5A champion Roadrunners all the way back to the title game. The 5-11, 185-pound junior has thrown for 3,062 yards and 29 touchdowns (with just three interceptions) and has rushed for 398 yards and nine touchdowns. 

Nolan Mrozowski, RB, Rochester

A senior, Mrozowski has been a major contributor for the Rockets this season. The 5-10, 160-pounder has racked up 1,141 yards on 110 carries and 22 touchdowns for undefeated Rochester. 

Nuri Muhammad, RB, Lincoln-Way East

A 5-5, 170-pound senior, Muhammad has been the lead ballcarrier for the undefeated Griffins. He has racked up 1,307 yards and 20 touchdowns on 184 carries.

Blayne Sisson, QB, Mt. Carmel (3A)

Sisson has put up huge numbers both through the air and on the ground for the Golden Aces this season. The 6-2, 190-pound senior has thrown for 1,762 yards and 15 touchdowns and racked up 2,081 yards and 36 touchdowns on the ground. 

Jesse Watson, WR, East St. Louis

A Purdue commit, Watson has been the go-to-guy in the East St. Louis passing game this season. The 5-10, 165-pound senior has caught 33 passes for 576 yards and eight touchdowns and has a kickoff return for a touchdown as well. 

Bryan Zulauf, QB, Rochester

A 5-8, 170-pound junior, Zulauf has commanded the high-powered Rockets offense. The lefty has completed 133 of his 197 passes for 2,234 yards and 29 touchdowns and added 289 yards and five touchdowns on the ground. 

Illinois high school football: Top standouts, best performances in Week 13 (11/19/2023)

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- Mike Carpinelli | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveIL