[Preview of this week’s article in Inside—Booster.]
By Jack Lydon
In their first ever trip to DePaul Prep, the storied high school football powerhouse Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers (4-2, 3-2) edged the DePaul Prep Rams 14-7.
It was a great start for the Rams (3-3, 1-3). On the first play of the game, Rams’ junior wide receiver Julian Koos bolted up the right sideline. Sophomore quarterback Andrew Campbell looked left and then pumped a deep ball right to Koos. Koos fought the corner and came down with the ball making his way seventy yards down to the Joliet Catholic twelve-yard line.
On the very next play, Campbell faked a handoff to running back Tyson Hooks and ran the ball into the endzone untouched. Just 44 seconds into the game, the Rams scored and with the extra point, they took a 7-0 lead. Can’t start much better than that.
Despite the fact that at the Rams jumped out to an early seven-point lead, as the game when on, one always had the feeling that it was just a matter of time before the Hilltoppers busted open the game.
The early score by the Rams would prove to be their offensive high point, their only offensive high point. The Hilltoppers big defensive line recovered and dominated the Rams.
“Our defense has been playing great all year. It’s their fourth game holding a team to one touchdown or less. In only one game [the other team] scored more than two [touchdowns], said Joliet Catholic head coach Jake Jaworski of his defense.
“Fast, physical, relentless pursuit,” Jaworski added.
Despite the stifling defense installed by the Hilltoppers, their offense sputtered.
“We were close to popping one here and there. We just couldn’t get it to go. We were close. We got in some good field position; just couldn’t finish drives. Vinny [DiNovo, senior kicker,] came up with two clutch field goals to get us a full possession lead,” Jaworski said.
The diminutive DiNovo, 5’4”, 150 pounds, definitely punches above his weight. It’s rare that a high school team relies on field goals as much as Joliet Catholic did in this game. With the score 7-2 DePaul Prep, DiNovo lined up and nailed 36-yard field goal with 21 seconds left in the half to make the score 7-5.
Midway through the third quarter, with the ball deep in deep in Rams territory at the 27-yard, Jaworski sent DiNovo out to attempt at 47-yard field goal to take the lead. The kick came up just short but it is rare to event attempt that long of a field goal in high school football. It was that close of a game.
“In practice we usually go back to 45, 48 yards. Not the greatest kick on my end,” DiNovo said.
Early in the fourth quarter, time ran out for the Rams. The Hilltoppers finally, and convincingly, put together a drive to score a touchdown and take the lead. Derrick Pomatto scored on a one-yard run up the middle to give JCA an 11-7 lead after that two-point conversion failed.
“Derrick is everything you look for in a three-year starter. He works extremely hard in the weight room to look the way that he does and to be able to play a lot of snaps. Physical downhill runner offensively. And then defensively, a captain on the field. He gets our guys set,” Jaworski said of Pomatto.
“I love calling myself a power back. When I am in there, I am expected to break tackles. That’s what I want to do. Pick up speed and get downhill,” Pomatto said.
It’s been a challenging year for the Rams. Their head coach left after the last school year. A number of players transferred out after that. Coach Nick Bizzieri took over and has exceeded expectations making believers out of his young squad.
“We are so close. A half yard this way, a half yard that way. We are supposed to run the route a twelve, we run it at 13. It’s little tiny details that take a long time to fix,” Bizzieri said.
If this game is any indication, the Rams are that close to turning the corner. Key an eye on this young group.
