Byron probably came less than a foot away from its third Class 3A state title in four seasons when it's last-second two-point conversion attempt was stopped in a 14-13 loss to Lombard Montini, which beat its next three playoff foes by an average of 30 points. Lena-Winslow has won six Class 1A titles since 2010 and finished second the last two years.

Even when those two don't win state, they come close. They should be great again in 2025. Who will join them? Here are our preseason power rankings of the best high school football teams in the Rockford area this year, with teams ranked according to how far we think they will go in the playoffs:

See Full Page