L-W East Football 2018 Schedule: Griffins Try To Repeat As Champs

FRANKFORT, IL — Ask Lincoln-Way East High School fans about the upcoming football season, and they just might answer that initial question with another question. Especially if they happen to be Jay-Z fans to boot.

"Can I get an encore, do you want more?" — a line from the hip-hop superstar's 2003 hit "Encore" — isn't an official slogan or rallying cry for the Griffins, but maybe it should be. The lyric nicely encaspulates fan and team expectations as L-W East kicks off its 2018 season Friday night on the road against Crete-Monee High School.

But how does the current squad follow up last year's undefeated season that ended with the Griffins capturing the Class 8A state title by defeating Wilmette's Loyola Academy, 23-14?

"Success does breed success," L-W East head coach Rob Zvonar recently told the Joliet Herald-News. "Every group wants to do better than the one before. So how does this group do that? Well, we’ve never won back to back titles at Lincoln-Way East. We’re not talking about that right now, because we’ve got to keep focused on what is right in front of us."

More Patch Coverage:

• 3 L-W East 2017 Videos To Fire You Up on Gameday
• 5 Notable Events The Last Time L-W East Won A State Title
• Griffins Win 2017 State Title With Victory Over Loyola Academy
• Watch How L-W East Celebrated Its 2017 State Football Championship (VIDEO)

Players and coaches might not be discussing the possibility of repeating as state champs, but that hasn't stopped high school football observers and pundits from offering their thoughts on the matter. The Griffins are currently ranked No. 1 in MaxPreps' preseason rankings for Illinois schools (they're No. 44 on the high school sports website's national list), and the Herald-News slots L-W East at No. 2 on its preseason state power rankings. The state preseason rankings compiled by The Associated Press will be released Wednesday, Aug. 22.

But repeating as champs is a daunting undertaking for any team, no matter how high that school might be ranked going into a season. Since Illinois switched to an eight-class system in 2001, only two high schools have won consecutive state titles. Lockport High School did it in 2002 and 2003, while Maine South High School pulled off an impressive threepeat starting in 2008.

Last year's historic title run was L-W East's third appearance in the state final in the school's 16-year history. The Griffins's only other state championship came in 2005. Among Illinois high school football programs, L-W East has the distinction of being the only school to make the playoffs in each year of its existence.

Like all high school programs, L-W East has had to deal with losing its share of talented players through graduation. The Griffins, however, will see one of its brightest stars from last season, A.J. Henning, return for the 2018 campaign. The offensive standout is still just a junior, but he helped last year's team capture the championship by rushing for 154 yards and scoring two touchdowns — including a 63-yard TD run — in the title game.

WATCH: Check out highlights from the 2017 Class 8A state title game between L-W East and Loyola Academy.

Ready to predict L-W East's final record for the 2018 high school football season? Take a look at the Griffins' upcoming schedule and leave your best guess at the team's win-loss total this year in the comments section.

Lincoln-Way East High School 2018 Football Schedule

Aug. 24: at Crete-Monee, 7 p.m.

Aug. 31: vs. Naperville Central, 7 p.m.

Sept. 7: vs. Andrew, 7 p.m.

Sept. 14: at Sandburg, 7:30 p.m.

Sept. 21: vs. Lincoln-Way Central, 7 p.m.

Sept. 28: vs. Homewood-Flossmoor, 7 p.m.

Oct. 5: at Lockport, 7:30 p.m.

Oct. 11: at Thornwood, 7 p.m.

Oct. 19: vs. Bolingbrook, 7 p.m.

Lincoln-Way East High School head coach Rob Zvonar prepares to be doused by his players after the Griffins won the 2017 Class 8A state title. (Image via jack | YouTube)