St. Ignatius Wins Prep Bowl 40-12

SPORTS SPOTLIGHT BY JOHN MONTGOMERY

There is no doubt that the Prep Bowl has lost prestige and importance with the football teams from Public League and Chicago Catholic League deciding to participate in the state football playoffs that began in 1974. It is unlikely that your current preseason goal in ChIcago is to win the Prep Bowl.

 “It was a great experience to play and coach in the Prep Bowl at Soldier Field,” Jay McDonagh said about the annual matchup which is now 95 years old. McDonagh played quarterback in the 1990 Prep Bowl for Gordon for Gordon and won two Public League pigskins with Curie losing to Loyola and Mt. Carmel in back-to-back seasons 2014 and 2015.

 The Catholic League has dominated the game winning 65 times. Mount Carmel is king of football in our state with 16 state championships and 15 Prep Bowl wins while Simeon has won twelve CPS championships and made 41 appearances in the state football playoffs. Mt Carmel won first matchup in 1927 6-0 over Schurz.

 There is football talent in the Public League, but only one city team Phillips has been able to win state football championship. The Public League football teams went 0-15 in the first round of this year's state series.

St. Ignatius (5-7) stunned Morgan Park (9-5) 40-12 to win this year's event before a small crowd on Black Friday at Hanson Stadium. The Wolfpack were delighted to be playing football after a 2-7 regular season.

“The Prep Bowl is a great tradition in Chicago,” St. Ignatius head coach Matt Miller said after winning his second straight Prep Bowl. Miller in in his tenth season and has now won 67 games.

St. Ignatius, who brought its football program back in 2005, certainly had challenges after sophomore starting quarterback Reid Hites broke his arm in a preseason scrimmage. St Ignatius was recently moved into the Blue Division of the Catholic League which is one of the toughest sections in the state featuring former state football champions St. Rita, Brother Rice, Loyola, and Mt Carmel. St Ignatius got moved up after losing in the 6A semifinals to Prairie Ridge 21-19 during 2022 football season. The Wolfpack who have made nine appearances in state playoffs lost in the quarterfinals the followіng season in 2023.

“I would love to play at Soldier Field,” Miller admitted after the game. “I heard the bill was pretty high. Playing the game at Soldier Field made the game special.”

Until 1974 it was the only football event on Thanksgiving weekend a game that aired on local television and drew large crowds. The biggest thing youngsters from the Public and Catholic League faced each other at Soldier Field home of Bears who had great players like Dick Butkus and Walter Payton. Many people today still talk about the 1985 Super Bowl Chicago Bears.

This season's game at renovated Hanson Stadium was close until the final quarter. Senior Rob Connor who scored three times and rushed for 90 yards helped St Ignatius build a 19-12 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Connor who has been one of the top players in the new Catholic League for the last two years was named Prep Bowl MVP.

The Wolfpack capped their incredible season by forcing three turnovers in the fourth quarter as Charlie Klaas scored twice, and Hites added a touchdown toss in only his second start of the season.

Morgan Park (9-5) was hoping to finish season on a high note after avenging regular season loss to Kenwood by beating the Broncos 30-19 to win CPS football crown for fifth time in school history. The Mustangs won the the Prep Bowl in 2005 over Brother Rice with current head football coach Chris James at quarterback.

“We were there in the game at halftime,” James said after the loss. “We left some plays on the field. Our inexperience showed in the second half.”

One example was beginning of game when all- stater Darrell Mattison for Morgan Park returned opening kickoff 88 yards for touchdown which would have been unprecedented in Prep Bowl history. Play was called back due to holding penalty.

Morgan Park lost this season in the opening round of the 5A playoffs to Wheaton St Francis (10-3) 35-28. The Mustangs will try to rebuild around sophomore quarterback Ronald Smith who completed 16 of 26 passes for 165 yards with two second quarter touchdowns and two interceptions in fourth quarter.

 Even though Morgan Park lost the game for fourth time the Mustangs were looking forward to playing in the Prep Bowl against St. Ignatius after losing in opening round of state playoffs.

 “It's special for me and the program to be playing in the Prep Bowl,” James admitted. “To be able to take the team to the Public League championship and Prep Bowl means something to me being a former player at Morgan Park.”

DePaul Prep Dominates Saint Viator 36-7

By Jack Lydon

[Preview of this week’s piece in Inside—Booster]

“Every time we try to get cute defensively and try to do more, the kids make mistakes,” said DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella.

“So we said we want to go back to the basics and play fundamental football.”

Fundamental football is what we saw at DePaul Prep Stadium Friday night where the DePaul Prep Rams handled the Saint Viator Lions 36-7 in a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Purple Division matchup.

There was not a whole lot of offense in the first quarter. Both teams were trying to find their legs. It was the Rams that found them first and dominated on defense. With the score 8-0 Rams after Rams’ senior running back Tyson Hicks scored on 42-yard run midway through the second quarter, with five minutes left in the half and ball at midfield, the Lions had a fourth and two. The frustrated Lions went for it. 

“I called the stunt. We knew that we could get some movement. After a couple of series that they were sliding to [Junior defensive end Hunter Wahtola] because he's kind of our big disruptive player that creates penetration,” Passarella said.

“My nose guard took up that block, I slanted right in that A gap. Once I met the quarterback face to face, I knew I was going to get that sack,” Wahtola said.

Wahtola was in the backfield so fast, it looked like the play was designed to give him the ball. Wahtola dropped Lions’ senior quarterback Joey Lampignano so quickly it took a moment to realize the play was over.

After that, it was all Rams. Responding to the stop, the Rams came up with a little trickeration.

Junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski through a long lateral pass to senior wide receiver Blake Yucan, who also happens to be the backup quarterback, who then launched a deep ball to a wide open senior wide receiver Matthew Osterman who trotted into the endzone for a 53-yard touchdown reception making the score 15-0 at the half.

The second half was Rams sophomore running back Tyson Hooks turn to shine. He had a 49-yard touchdown catch and run in the third quarter littering the field with failed Lion tacklers reminiscent of Walter Payton run. And then Hicks added a third touchdown with 3:17 left. This time for 58-yards to put the game away. Hicks with touchdowns of 58, 49 and 42 yards. 

“I think we’ve got the best of offensive line in the state. I say that a lot. They make my life easy,” said Hicks.

“I ran thirty yards before I was touched. My receivers are running down field blocking safeties forty hours down the field.”

For some icing on the cake, senior safety Luke Flom, who plays more like a linebacker, split out into the flat deep in coverage deep in the Saint Viator end of the field. Lampignano looked to his left and passed the ball. It what seemed like a lifetime, the ball sailed right to Flom with no Lion receiver even in view.

“I was ready for it. I knew the ball is coming to me. They were throwing at me all night. I don't know why but I was ready for it and it took it to the house,” Flom said.

Flom, who has missed a few games with injury this season, grabbed it like he was the intended receiver and raced it into the end zone to give the Rams a 35-0 lead late in the third quarter.

“My first game back of a lot of injuries. I knew it was coming. I got a few pass deflections, but I was ready for it and took it to the crib,” Flom added.

The Rams move to 2-4 on the season. The Lions drop to 1-5. It’s been a rough opening campaign for first year Saint Viator head coach and former Chicago Bears place kicker Robbie Gould. Gould came over to Saint Viator from Rolling Meadows high school where he coached last year.

Gould spent eleven seasons as the Bears’ kicker from 2005-2015. After being unceremoniously and stupidly dumped by the Bears, he played nine more seasons in the NFL principally with the San Franciso 49ers. Gould is the nineth most accurate field goal kicker in NFL history.