Best winning percentages in Illinois prep football history

If you haven't been on Edgy Tim's free board, you know that I enjoy doing several projects with historian Tom Sikorski. Since I start delving into Illinois' prep football history almost 10 years ago, the project for the most wins has extended into best winning percentage, and the best record by decades. Here's the best winning percentages, based on a minimum of 250 games played (sorry, Lincoln-Way East fans, but you'll get here soon enough) and winning 60% of better of your contests. If you share this, please credit Tom and Kev Varney as the authors.

BEST WINNING PERCENTAGES  OF ILLINOIS PREP FOOTBALL PROGRAMS (THRU 8/10/2021)
(Minimum of 250 games played & .600 or better winning percentage)
RANK WIN PCT. SCHOOL YEARS RECORD 2020 RANK
1 0.78537 East St. Louis (Senior) 1925-2020 798-205-36 1
2 0.74928 Chicago (Mount Carmel) 1924-2020 772-248-31 2
3 0.74204 Park Ridge (Maine South) 1964-2020 441-152-4 3
4 0.71678 Rochester 1996-2020 205-81-0 NEW
5 0.71466 Metamora 1946-2020 529-207-14 4
6 0.70682 Springfield (Cathedral/Griffin/Sacred Heart-G.) 1930-2020 631-255-23 5
7 0.70566 Crystal Lake (Prairie Ridge) 1997-2020 187-78-0 NEW
8 0.70549 Tolono (H.S./Unity) 1942-2020 535-221-8 6
9 0.70136 Wheaton (H.S./Central/W.-Warrenville South) 1912-2020 707-293-28 7
10 0.7012 Chicago (Simeon) 1970-2020 406-173-0 9
11 0.69781 Oak Lawn (Richards) 1965-2020 414-179-1 8
12 0.69329 New Lenox (Providence Catholic) 1968-2020 403-178-1 10
13 0.68136 Geneseo (Darnall/H.S.) 1915-2020 678-312-19 12
14 0.68126 Stillman Valley 1950-2020 448-208-6 11
15 0.67994 Tuscola 1895-2020 738-336-43 14
16 0.67921 Chapin/Concord (Triopia) 1950-2020 445-207-12 15
17 0.67727 Joliet (DeLaSalle/Catholic) 1920-2020 680-318-23 18
18 0.67554 Roodhouse 1924-1962 208-95-15 17
19 0.67515 Walnut 1922-1994 429-202-17 19
20 0.67485 Macomb (Western) 1920-1972 196-90-11 16
21 0.67435 Mt. Carmel, IL 1920-2020 642-302-31 20
22 0.67284 Clifton (Central) 1950-2020 447-214-13 26
23 0.67159 Arcola 1894-2020 730-347-39 22
24 0.67039 Carthage (H.S./Hancock Central/Illini West) 1895-2020 693-327-54 25
25 0.66989 Lombard (Montini) 1968-2020 379-186-3 21
26 0.66951 Stockton 1919-2020 609-292-34 23
27 0.66923 Deerfield 1962-2020 391-193-1 27
28 0.66804 Bolingbrook 1974-2020 324-161-0 13
29 0.66717 Peoria (Richwoods) 1957-2020 435-216-4 24
30 0.66438 Tiskilwa 1945-1988 241-121-3 28
31 0.66146 Coal City 1978-2020 297-152-0 30
32 0.66027 Monmouth (Warren) 1958-2003 289-147-7 29
33 0.65863 Richmond (R.-Burton) 1946-2020 421-217-5 37
34 0.65834 Chicago (Lane) 1908-2020 644-327-30 31
35 0.65828 Sterling (Community Catholic/Newman) 1925-2020 600-304-31 32
36 0.65779 Carlinville 1913-2020 646-326-42 34
37 0.65744 Chicago/Wilmette (Loyola) 1909-2020 716-363-42 36
38 0.6569 Chicago (St. Rita) 1908-2020 644-328-35 35
39 0.65575 Williamsville 1971-2020 330-173-1 41
40 0.65489 Oswego (H.S.) 1927-2020 472-244-20 39
41 0.65208 Casey (C.-Westfield) 1921-2020 615-323-22 43
42 0.65149 Kankakee (St. Patrick/McNamara) 1932-2020 532-279-24 40
43 0.65105 DuQuoin (H.S.) 1928-2020 604-317-29 38
44 0.65068 Evanston (Township) 1889-2020 647-339-36 42
45 0.64955 Winnetka (New Trier/N.T. East) 1915-2020 579-308-19 44
46 0.64805 Cary (C.-Grove) 1962-2020 382-207-2 45
47 0.64784 Lake Forest (H.S.) 1935-2020 503-270-15 46
48 0.64495 Naperville (North) 1975-2020 307-169-0 52
49 0.64301 Rockford (St. Thomas/Boylan Catholic) 1911-2020 590-322-25 50
50 0.64257 Naperville (H.S./Central) 1910-2020 635-349-19 33
51 0.64218 Normal (Community) 1897-2020 660-360-35 47
52 0.6412 Auburn 1909-2020 625-344-26 49
53 0.64059 Champaign (Central) 1894-2020 688-377-41 48
54 0.64 Wheaton (North) 1965-2020 351-197-2 54
55 0.63818 Aledo (H.S./Mercer County) 1910-2020 592-330-26 53
56 0.63545 Prairie View/Lincolnshire (Stevenson) 1965-2020 348-199-3 51
57 0.63313 Chicago (Morgan Park Military Academy/M.P. Academy) 1893-1978 400-224-37 55
58 0.63036 Oak Park (Fenwick) 1932-2020 553-322-11 56
59 0.63017 Mt. Zion 1927-2020 418-242-16 58
60 0.62991 Sterling (H.S.) 1899-2020 635-364-44 59
61 0.62887 Flossmoor (Homewood-F.) 1959-2020 384-226-3 57
62 0.62788 Libertyville 1918-2020 561-328-22 60
63 0.6269 Morris 1900-2020 644-377-31 61
64 0.6261 Glen Ellyn (Glenbard/Glenbard West) 1923-2020 549-320-39 62
65 0.62515 Galena (H.S.) 1925-2020 512-304-15 64
66 0.62387 Downers Grove (South) 1964-2020 343-206-4 63
67 0.6203 Mahomet (M.-Seymour) 1921-2020 441-268-10 65
68 0.62007 Oak Park (O.P.-River Forest) 1891-2020 673-405-38 66
69 0.61816 Harvey (Thornton) 1926-2020 520-317-22 67
70 0.61776 Monticello 1914-2020 592-360-33 69
71 0.61714 Chenoa 1920-2003 461-282-21 68
72 0.6141 Murphysboro (M.-Elkville (Elverado) Co-op) 1914-2020 554-342-33 70
73 0.61382 Wilmington 1947-2020 436-273-7 74
74 0.61305 Barrington 1924-2020 511-317-30 76
75 0.61236 Rock Island (H.S.) 1890-2020 680-422-46 73
76 0.61202 LaGrange (Lyons) 1917-2020 545-340-30 72
77 0.61003 Peoria (Spalding) 1903-1987 359-223-36 77
78 0.61009 Decatur (St. Teresa) 1930-2020 518-326-28 82
79 0.60962 Rockton (Hononegah) 1922-2020 514-325-23 75
80 0.60918 Washington 1923-2020 547-345-33 81
81 0.60578 Chicago (Hubbard) 1965-2020 333-216-4 79
82 0.60532 Addison (Driscoll) 1974-2009 261-170-1 83
83 0.60476 Marshall (IL) 1910-2020 555-357-33 80
84 0.60391 Orland Park (Sandburg) 1955-2020 398-260-6 78
85 0.60372 Hinsdale (Twp./Central) 1919-2020 523-339-25 88
86 0.60348 Chatham (Glenwood) 1972-2020 294-193-1 86
87 0.60263 Effingham (H.S.) 1923-2020 450-294-16 89
88 0.6015 Jacksonville (Routt-Springfield (Lutheran) co-op) 1922-2020 471-309-18 84
89 0.60089 Moline (H.S.) 1890-2020 651-425-44 87

Vee Shoot me a me a DM with your email address. My records for Clifton Central are just a little different. I can send you my spreadsheet of work.

Did Chebanse, Clifton or Ashkum have football before 1950?

Nope first year was 1950. My neighbor growing up Mr Larry Seibring scored the first ever TD and we beat Gardner

Bighitter11 wrote:Vee Shoot me a me a DM with your email address.  My records for Clifton Central are just a little different.  I can send you my spreadsheet of work.

Don't do it Mr. Vee.

Those Clifton guys all have their own spreadsheets...each one is different. You will soon have 25 different spreadsheets with 25 different winning percentages.

Each one of those guys think if they were not at the game, it didn't happen. If they go to the bathroom and the opponent scores, that doesn't count.

Teetime wrote:

Bighitter11 wrote:Vee Shoot me a me a DM with your email address.  My records for Clifton Central are just a little different.  I can send you my spreadsheet of work.

Don't do it Mr. Vee.

Those Clifton guys all have their own spreadsheets...each one is different. You will soon have 25 different spreadsheets with 25 different winning percentages.

Each one of those guys think if they were not at the game, it didn't happen. If they go to the bathroom and the opponent scores, that doesn't count.

Anyone that thinks 25 Clifton guys could put together a spreadsheet have obviously never been there...

4 0.71466 Metamora 1946-2020 529-207-14 4
5 0.71678 Rochester 1996-2020 205-81-0 NEW

I must be missing something - why is Metamora listed at a higher position than Rochester?

Teetime wrote:

Bighitter11 wrote:Vee Shoot me a me a DM with your email address.  My records for Clifton Central are just a little different.  I can send you my spreadsheet of work.

Don't do it Mr. Vee.

Those Clifton guys all have their own spreadsheets...each one is different. You will soon have 25 different spreadsheets with 25 different winning percentages.

Each one of those guys think if they were not at the game, it didn't happen. If they go to the bathroom and the opponent scores, that doesn't count.

Well actually my records actually slide us down a bit.......

Bighitter11 wrote:

Teetime wrote:Don't do it Mr. Vee.

Those Clifton guys all have their own spreadsheets...each one is different. You will soon have 25 different spreadsheets with 25 different winning percentages.

Each one of those guys think if they were not at the game, it didn't happen. If they go to the bathroom and the opponent scores, that doesn't count.

Well actually my records actually slide us down a bit.......

Then it follows that you were not in attendance at a few Clifton wins.

OldTitan wrote:

4 0.71466 Metamora 1946-2020 529-207-14 4
5 0.71678 Rochester 1996-2020 205-81-0 NEW

I must be missing something - why is Metamora listed at a higher position than Rochester?

Thanks for letting me know…it’s been corrected.

One other I forgot to mention: ties are considered as half-win, half-loss. The last known tie in Illinois varsity football was between two Chicago Public League schools in 1990 that wouldn’t have even qualified for the CPL playoffs.