The East St. Louis High School football team is always looking for a challenge or two before it starts the Illinois part of its schedule. The Flyers’ 2025 schedule is full of challenges for the program that finished No. 15 last year in the High School Football America 300 national rankings, powered by NFL Play Football.
The reigning Illinois 6A champs will play state champs from Nevada and New Jersey, plus a Florida state runner-up and have a rematch against national power IMG Academy (Florida).
ESL opens the season on the road in New Jersey against four-time defending Non-Public A champ Bergen Catholic at the Battle at the Beach V. BC finished No. 7 in the HSFA 300 last season.
Related: 2025 Out-of-State Games
The following week, East St. Louis will host Florida 2A runner-up Gadsden County, which finished No. 87 in the country.
On September 12, the Flyers head to Las Vegas to play Bishop Gorman. The Gaels won their 14th state championship in the last 15 years in 2024 to finish No. 3 in America. BG won the 2016 HSFA national championship.
After playing its five-game Southwestern Conference schedule, the Flyers will travel to Florida for a rematch against IMG, which finished No. 10 in the national in 2024. The two met at the end of season last year with IMG winning a one-point decision in overtime.
Earlier this year, ESL head coach Darren Sunkett talked with HSFA about playing a tough non-conference schedule. You can watch that interview below.
Below is the Flyers’ complete schedule:
2025 East St. Louis Flyers Schedule
August 28 – at Bergen Catholic (New Jersey)
September 6 – vs. Gadsden County (Florida)
September 12 – at Bishop Gorman (Nevada)
September 19 – vs. Belleville East
September 26 – vs. O’Fallon
October 3 – at Belleville West
October 10 – at Alton
October 17 – at Edwardsville
October 24 – at IMG Academy (Florida)
