DePaul Prep’s Nick Martinez Carries on His Father’s Legacy

By Michael Felish

Nick Martinez ran into the endzone unscathed with 1:42 remaining in the first quarter of the 2024 IHSA Class 4A State Championship, his first of three rushing touchdowns in the game. The senior running back led the Rams with 100 yards rushing on 19 carries en route to a 40-6 win over Mt. Zion.

Nick’s touchdown set the table for the remainder of the game. On a cold and blistery Friday night at Hancock Stadium, the Rams established a dominant ground game. 245 yards on the night and six touchdowns.

The four-yard run marked the first offensive touchdown in DePaul Prep history in a state title game. In their only other state championship appearance in 1980, Marty Calkins returned a 48-yard fumble recovery for a touchdown against Reavis, marking the only score of the game for Gordon Tech.

For Martinez, the run meant more. As he crossed the endzone after the biggest touchdown of his varsity career, he blew a kiss and pointed to the sky. He dedicated his touchdown to his late father, Mike Martinez, a Gordon Tech football alum.

“He was a real hard worker,” Martinez said of his dad. “He motivated me every day.”

“Believe it or not, football was not my favorite sport when I was younger. He built me into an amazing football player. He showed me the reasons why to love the game. There is so much in football to appreciate. It is such an honor to wear his number; he worked so hard and all I wanted to do was continue his legacy.”

Martinez changed his jersey number heading into his senior season from #9 to #3 to honor his dad. His older brother, Anthony, a DePaul Prep football alum and current Triton College baseball player, said the change added an extra layer of motivation for Nick.

“My brother would tell my mom and I the entire year that he was dedicating this season to our dad by wearing his #3. I think that gave him a high motor going into every game because wearing [his dad’s number] meant a lot to Nick. When he scored the first touchdown on Friday, there was no doubt he wasn’t thinking about our dad, so it meant a lot.”

Just as Martinez was the first Ram to score in Friday’s state championship game, he was the last Ram to leave the field just two weeks ago in the quarterfinal round, as DePaul Prep defeated St. Laurence 26-14 in what would be the senior’s final game at DePaul Prep Stadium.

Alongside his closest friends and family, Nick embraced his mom Jennifer and walked off the field in uniform one final time side by side with his biggest supporters.

“I do it all for my family,” Martinez said. “Every moment, to when I stepped on the tackle field when I was a little boy to now, they’ve always been to every single game, supporting me and cheering for me. It’s a real honor to have a family like that that comes and watches me play.”

Halfway through the third quarter of Friday night’s state championship game, with his family in the front row, Martinez called for the ball coming out of the huddle. The next play, he scored from one yard out, marking his golden third touchdown of the night.

“I’m confident in our game,” said Martinez. “I knew our offensive line would give me all the space to run. Normally when we’re at that point, we let Juju run the ball and punch it in, but I had to take it for the third touchdown.”

There is a sense of pride a father has watching his son succeed. Speaking from my own story, there can also be that same pride shared from an older brother to a younger brother.

“Watching my brother carry the team to the first state championship in 44 years was amazing, said Anthony. “He worked so hard throughout the entire offseason and season to prepare his body to stay healthy throughout the year. He set out a goal to win a state title and he did just that. I could not be prouder of him and the person he is becoming,” said Anthony Martinez.

“A state championship gives all of the DePaul Prep Football Alumni something to be proud of,” Anthony added.

Head Coach Michael Passarella coached Anthony in his first season taking over the program. Coming off a winless season the year prior, the Rams finished their first season under the leadership of Coach Passarella with a 3-6 record. To think of how remarkable this Cinderella season has been for DePaul Prep, 2024 marked the program’s first winning season in 10 years, capped off with the school’s second state title.

“Coach Pass has done a fantastic job with growing this program since he came in. I was a part of the first DePaul team Coach Pass coached,” Anthony said, “When he took over there was an instant culture shift, and it had really started to show the past few years.”

“Nick and Anthony Martinez brought remarkable characteristics to the game,” said DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella reflecting on the play of both Martinez brothers.

“Both players exhibited exceptional talent, which was evident in their skills and understanding of the game. Their tenacity set them apart, as they consistently showed determination and a never-quit attitude, even in challenging situations.”

“Additionally, they embodied hard work, always putting in the effort to improve themselves and contribute to the team’s success. Beyond these attributes, they brought leadership, motivating their teammates through their example, and passion, which was infectious and elevated the energy and focus of those around them. Their combination of skill, effort, and character left a lasting impression on the program.”

Nick Martinez has left behind quite the story to be told for years to come. Wearing the jersey number his dad once wore, Martinez carried his family name proudly while elevating a football program back to the level of relevancy the famed Gordon Tech Rams once held in high school football.

“Nick Martinez leaves a powerful legacy as a three-year varsity player for the Ram football team, said Passarella. “Renowned for his unmatched energy and relentless motor, Martinez consistently brought enthusiasm and determination that inspired his teammates. His contributions went beyond his personal performance; he played a pivotal role in elevating the team to a state-caliber level.”
“Martinez’s dedication and infectious spirit helped set a high standard for effort and teamwork within the program,” Passarella added. “His ability to energize those around him made him an invaluable leader, leaving a lasting impact that will resonate within the team culture for years to come.”

[Guest contributor Michael “Skip” Felish serves as the DePaul Prep announcer at football and basketball games.]

DePaul Prep senior running back Nick Martinez

Lane Falls to DePaul Prep 53-39 in Battle of Bridge Finale

[A preview of my story in next week’s Inside—Booster.

By Jack Lydon

The Lane Tech Champions (2-1) crossed the bridge over the North Branch only to be turned away in defeat 53-39 at the hands of the DePaul Prep Rams (3-0) on Wednesday evening. Coming off a big 74-72 win over tenth ranked Niles North on Tuesday, the Champions had an opportunity to show what they are made of against the two-time returning state champions and neighbor, DePaul Prep Rams.

I suspect few among us, very few, enjoy the imagery of a battle on the banks of a river reminiscent of the Battle of Stamford Bridge, nearly a thousand years ago in 1066, where the Viking invaders of Northern England lead by Harold Hardrada were turned away in a bloody day long battle with Harold Godwinson’s Saxon army more than this writer. But hey, they named the event, “Battle of the Bridge,” so what should one expect.

DePaul Prep’s Tom Winiecki Gym, which is quite literally on the banks of the Chicago River, was packed and load. The energy was surprising for being only the third game of the season. Both teams seemed a little out-of-sorts in the first quarter. Shots were not falling. The game was scoreless for the first two and a half minutes. The Champions missed shot after shot going without a field goal in the first quarter. The Rams held a 12-3 lead at the end of the quarter.

“I think it was a combination of things. Nerves had something to do with it. Our guys came out and I thought they were a little on edge in the moment,” said Lane Tech head coach Nick LoGalbo.

Was it poor shooting by the Champions or defense by the Rams?

“I think it was a mixture. They got some good looks that they usually make and they didn’t make them,” said DePaul Prep head coach Tom Kleinschmidt. “We doubled the box, so we had front and backside help. They had a hard time getting it into [Lane Tech senior center Dalton Scantlebury] so they raised him off the baseline,” said Kleinschmidt.

Both teams settled in and normalcy returned, the normalcy of the DePaul Prep’s smothering defense. The Champions struggled on the offensive boards managing only 12 points by the half.

The Champions recovered in the second half. Standout forward senior Luka Pinto and Zach Mazanowski, 14 and 10 points respectively, hit big shots as the Champions began to dig themselves out of a hole. They cut the deficit to nine points with 3:41 left but it’s really hard to come from behind on a Tom Kleinschmidt coached team. The Rams simply don’t turn the ball over and don’t miss their free throws. The Rams hit 9 of 10 free throws to put away the game.

The new piece to this year’s Rams squad is junior guard Rykan Woo, a transfer from Whitney Young. Woo’s offensive production has been a boost for the Rams, 20 points against Lane, 16 against Niles North and MVP for the tournament. Woo adds the outside shooting threat that the Rams lost with the graduation of PJ Chambers from last year’s state title team.

“AJ [Chambers] played great, Rykan [Woo] played great. It won’t show up in the box score but Shawn [Porter] did a nice job on the big kid. And then what will go unnoticed is that Rob [Walls] could be the MVP of the game [drawing] three charges in the first quarter. It set the whole tone for the game,” Kleinschmidt said of his Rams victory.

“It’s different,” Woo said of his transfer to DePaul Prep, “from Whitney Young to a private school so it’s something to get used to.”

Woo denied the importance of his offensive spark to the Rams. “I wouldn’t say that,” Woo said. “It was a team effort to be honest. If I am going to be completely honest, you can’t just say it was me. It’s everyone. I’m not gonna be able to get any shots without any of the other players on this team.”

Despite the loss to number 3 ranked DePaul Prep, the season outlook for the Lane Tech Champions is bright. The length of forwards Scantlebury, Mazanowksi and Pita, matched with the experienced guard play of seniors Brayden Rosenkrantz and Kenneth Rosario should give the Champions an excellent shot against Southside powerhouses Whitney Young, Simeon, Kenwood and Curie in the new Chicago Public League Red Shield division. The Champions will have to contend with Lincoln Park for dominance on the Northside.

DePaul Prep moves on to face Kenwood Sunday afternoon.

“[Kenwood’s] got two kids back and they got a transfer. They are always good. They’ve got a lot of talent. They haven’t played yet. I’ll get a look at them. I know two or three of their guys. I know their coaching staff. They are loaded. They are going to be a tough out.”

Basketball Season Opens. DePaul Prep Defeats Niles North, Lane Handles Phillips

Great start to the 24-25 high school basketball season with the opening games of the Battle of Bridge Thanksgiving Tournament at DePaul Prep.

DePaul Prep 69, Niles North 63.

The DePaul Prep come into the season ranked #3 in the Sun-Times Super 25. Several other analysts have the Rams ranked #1 but it’s a pre-season ranking that matters little. Frankly, who wants to be ranked #1 in pre-season. One can only go down from there. No one disputes the Rams are a top team. Back-to-back state champs with three returning starters and a top transfer, the Rams will win a lot of games.

The Rams came out in a four guard line-up against Niles North on Monday. Center Lashaun “Shaun” Porter, guards, Makai Kvamme, A.J. Chambers, Rob Walls and new-comer Rykan Woo, the aforementioned top transfer from Whitney Young. This is a bit of a change from Tom Kleinshmidt’s typical two bigman, wing and two guard line-up but not much of a change. There have been plenty of times when the Rams played four guards at a time. And Rob Walls was grabbing boards like Dennis Rodman on Monday, so it’s not like the Rams surrender the paint.

Frankly, the Rams struggled a little in the first quarter to get the ball to fall. Usually, the Rams grab an early lead and hold it until the half. It was a little different Monday. They trailed in the first and rallied in the second quarter.

It was the third quarter where the Rams turned the game. They outscored Niles North 10-2 in the first half of the third quarter. They grabbed the lead and held it.

In typical fashion of a Kleinschmidt team, the Rams got a second half lead and held it with excellent ball handling and clutch free throw shooting.

By no means was it easy. Niles North head coach Glenn Olson, his family and the rest of his Vikings play basketball like it’s life or death. I have seen them play many time in recent years. It feels more like a boxing match than a basketball game. One feels lucky to be upright when it’s over. I get tired just watching.

The Vikings are especially good this year, ranked #10. Glenn Olson’s son Reid is the point guard. He is tougher than this father and a great shooter. Senior forward Hunter Gawron is a force and a high regarding player in the area. Let’s not forget senior guard Dylan Lam who poured in twelve points.

The should feel glad just have the win, and that the game is over. It was a nice win and a good preview of what is in store for us this season.

One of the DePaul Prep students was wearing a Tom Kleinschmidt Gordon Tech #34 jersey. How cool is that? It should be in a museum someplace. Next time I see him I will have to tell him to leave it to the school or to the Chicago History Museum in his will.

Lane 70, Phillips 54.

Lane played angry, especially Penn commit senior center Dalton Scantlebury, and handled Phillips in the first game of the tournament.

I didn’t hear Scantlebury say “Gimme the damn ball” but that’s how he played. 23 points and no doubt that he is serious.

And it wasn’t just him. Senior forward Zach Mazanowski had a monster duck that was picturesque to write the least. Even with the graduation of Shaheed Solebo, the Champions may well be better than last year. Stay tuned for that.

Great start to the season.

And great to see college basketball star Raheem Anthony in the Tom Winiecki Gym. For those who may not recall Raheem was the engine of the DePaul Prep’s first state finals run in 2019. That team had other top players, like Perry Cowen, TY Johnson and Pavle Pantovic, but Raheem was the key—at least according to me.

But, best of all, new lights in the Tom Winiecki Gym. White light and lots of it. I have had my setting dialed in for some years in that gym but now I have to redo it all. I boosted the shutter speed, probably a little to high, resulting in a high ISO. I am going to dial it back a little. The photos came out a too grainy even with the AI processing. Give me a few tries and I will have it dialed in. Kind of like the Rams and their new four guard offense.

I hope you like the photos.

DePaul Prep Advances to State Title Game with 21-14 Win Over Coal City

[Preview of my Inside—Booster Article]

By Jack Lydon

DePaul Prep is in the state championship game. Not basketball. Football.

That’s right. The DePaul Prep Rams football team went to Coal City, Illinois, and defeated the traditionally good Coalers football team 21-14 Saturday afternoon. The Rams will face Mt. Zion on Friday in the IHSA State Championship at Illinois State University’s Hancock Field.

The Rams finished second in the CCL/ESCC Purple Division this year with a 6-3 record. They only elevated out of the CCL/ESCC’s lowest division last year with a record 4-6. DePaul Prep has had exactly one playoff appearance in ten years of existence. They were pasted 40-0 in 2015 by Elmwood-Brumfield.

Not anymore. No hiding it. No denying it. No avoiding it. Believe it. These Rams are legit.

They have very good players and excellent coaches. The team can run and pass. They can run up the middle. They can run wide. They can pass deep. They can pass short. They come back when they are behind. They can play defense. They stop the run. They stop the pass. They sack the quarterback. They bend but not break. They hold a lead.

The Rams had a few miscues in the first half that keep the game within reach for the Coalers. Rams highly regarded senior quarterback, Fernando “Juju” Rodriguez, scrambled out of trouble for a nice gain only to turn the ball over while going down. A little while later, after an amazing run through the Coal City defense, Rams’ senior running back Nick Martinez fumbled the ball just outside the endzone only to have it recovered by Coal City for a touchback.

The Rams defense handled the Coalers in the first half. The Coalers never threatened.

There was plenty of fight left in the Coalers. They took the second half kickoff and drove down the field, six and seven yards at a time, to tie the game 7-7.

The Rams answered in three plays. A 39-yard pass to touchdown pass from Rodriguez to senior wide receiver Matthew Osterman gave the Rams the lead 14-7.

One never felt like the Rams would lose the game. It just took too much for Coal City to score. The Coalers put up another touchdown. The Rams answered again.

“Juju is the best quarterback in the state,” said a fan in the celebration after the game.

“I am just focused on us winning. Just getting to this moment and winning next week,” said Rodriguez. Juju’s probably not the best quarterback in the state. He’s probably not the best quarterback in the Catholic League. Just ask Mount Carmel’s Jack Elliott and Loyola’s Ryan Fitzgerald.

But maybe Juju is. If taking an underdog, overachieving 6-3 team to the state championship game counts a lot more than leading a perennial powerhouse program, he just might be the best quarterback in Illinois. You’ll get no argument from me on that point. 

It wasn’t just Juju who won the game. One cannot overstate the work of the defense, especially the stellar play of senior defensive lineman Michael Casper and linebacker Jett Reese. When Coal City was forced to throw in the closing minutes, the Rams’ defensive backfield, led by senior cornerback Shae Griffith, turned them away. 

The 4A state championship game will be Friday evening, the day after Thanksgiving, at 7:00 p.m., at Illinois State University’s Hancock Stadium. The Rams will face the Mt. Zion Braves. The Braves (10-3) from the Apollo Conference defeated University High from Normal in Saturday’s other 4A semi-final.

“It hasn’t sunk in. I talked to the boys. I talked to the coaches. I’ve got people coming up to me. I am trying to embrace the moment but I am starting to think about getting back to work,” Rams head coach Mike Passarella said.

DePaul Prep is unique. It is a new school but has, or shares, an old tradition. The tradition of Gordon Tech. One of Gordon Tech’s legacies, maybe its most well-known, is a state championship in 1980. Gordon was a big school then. 2000 boys in class 6A, the largest class. DePaul Prep’s head football coach before Passarella was Bill Jeske, a member of that 1980 state champion Gordon Tech team.

“It was 44 years ago yesterday,” Bill Jeske said after the game. “Even though the name [of the school] has changed, the Rams’ traditions continue. I spent last night with my friends. I said this team is just like us. They are a team of destiny.”

DePaul Prep Takes Fourth Place in 3A Volleyball State Finals

[Preview of my story this week in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

The DePaul Prep Rams (37-5) fell to the Prairie Ridge Wolves (38-3) in the IHSA 3A State third-place game Saturday afternoon in Normal. The Wolves edged the Rams in two sets, 22-25 and 23-25. The fourth-place finish in the State Finals is still the farthest that any DePaul Prep or Gordon Tech team has achieved in volleyball.

Despite going back and forth the whole way, DePaul Prep could not get more than a one-point lead at any point. Although the Rams were more at ease than they were in the semi-final, it came down to Prairie Ridge’s excellent play handling the Rams’ hits.

“It was tough. We wanted to protect the serve so anytime we got the ball back we wanted to keep the serve on our side. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. Playing at this level, you know it’s going to be competitive volleyball. We just didn’t make that change quick enough,” said DePaul Prep head coach Caroline Gajzler.

DePaul’s semi-final match against Mahomet-Seymour was not much different. The Rams were right with the Bulldogs but a five-point run midway through the first set lifted the Bulldogs to a 25-18 first set. The Rams rallied bringing back to two but Mahomet pulled away slowly as the first set continued. In the second set of Friday’s semi-final, the Rams cleaned up their service errors but just couldn’t put together a run to overtake the Bulldogs.

Of the semi-final loss, DePaul Prep head coach Caroline Gajzler said, “Ultimately, we fell short in playing the game that we’ve been playing. A few back-to-back hitting errors here and there. Some missed connections with our setters.

“[Mahomet-Seymour, eventual 3A state champion] was definitely one of the most competitive teams that we have played this season. They played very clean tonight. They ran down most of the balls, most of the touches.”

The fourth-place finish was a little bittersweet for the DePaul Prep. The Rams definitely believed they could win. The bar is high at DePaul Prep. In just the past few years, the Rams have back-to-back state championships in boys’ basketball, a state championship and a second-place finish in boys and girls cross-country respectively and fourth place finish in baseball.

“Gratitude. Grateful. An honor to be these girls’ coach. The school has only been in existence for ten years and it goes back to Gordon Tech. To be a part of history, I am really blessed. I love these girls not only as athletes but as human beings. I am grateful to be part of their story. I can’t wait to see what the rest has for them. I am just really grateful to have the experience of being here,” Coach Gajzler said.

The 37-5 season for the Rams was the culmination for a four-year process for the team and the coaches.

“It feels surreal. Ever since we got here freshman year, it was always something that seemed so far our of reach. But this year and last year, it was finally attainable. And the fact that we got this far and beat a lot of teams that we worked really hard to beat to get here. All that really paid off,” said senior hitter Amira Boone.

“Our senior class said this is our year, this is our season. All of our programs are excelling. What we all worked for for four years is all coming together,” said senior Layla Christian.

“We called this our unicorn season. Taking eighteen on a roster we knew it was going to be something special. We just talked about it in the locker room. Being GCAC White champions, two-time tournament champions, regional champions, sectional champions, super-sectional champions, first time coming downstate, so the entire season has kind of been this high. Hard work paying off, these girls trusting the process, believing the coaching staff, and really stepping up their game and growing throughout four years. It’s really neat to be a part of that process.

“Everyone wanted it so bad. I am so proud of this team and how far we have come,” said senior Katie Syftestad.

DePaul Prep Falls to Mahomet-Seymour in 3A Semi; Will Play Prairie Ridge in Third-place Game

The DePaul Prep Rams (37-4) fell to the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs (38-3) in the IHSA 3A State semi-final Friday afternoon in Normal. The Bulldogs edged the Rams in two sets, 18-25 and 22-25.

The match was close but Mahomet played a largely error free first set fielding everything that the Ram threw at them. It was hard for the Rams to replicate the energy of the Super-sectional match against rival St. Laurence.  

Very tight beginning to the match. Mahomet-Seymor went on a five-point run midway through the first set. Rams rallied bringing back to two but Mahomet pulled away slowly as the first set continued. There was also an uncharacteristically high service errors by the Rams.

The second set was close the whole way. The Rams cleaned up the errors but just couldn’t put together a run to overtake the Bulldogs.

“Ultimately, we fell short in playing the game that we’ve been playing. A few back-to-back hitting errors here and there. Some missed connections with our setters. At the end of the day, just blessed to be here, happy to be here. Ready to come back tomorrow and hopefully win third place,” said DePaul Prep head coach Caroline Gajzler.

“[Mahomet-Seymour] was definitely one of the most competitive teams that we have played this season. They played very clean tonight. They ran down most of the balls, most of the touches. Definitely in the top three of the most competitive teams that we have played.”

“They kept a lot of confidence throughout the game. They didn’t seem jittery or nervous. That confidence ultimately helped them in the end. We were playing a very even game but the confidence and the energy were very different,” said Rams’ senior hitter Amira Boone.

The Rams move on to play Prairie Ridge Wolves (27-14) in the 3A third-place game. The Rams and Wolves had three common opponents this season: Fenwick, Rosary and Jacobs. Both teams beat the common opponents.

“It’s obviously our goal is to be in the first and second place match. Now that we are in the third-place match, I feel like we are ready. So I think we will come in tomorrow and continue making history,” said Layla Christian.

“I agree with that. After the loss today, we will be more aggressive tomorrow. Keep building off what we did today,” said sophomore Kalia Kroth.

“Even though we did not get a chance to win the championship, third place at state is so very impressive. The fact that we even have an opportunity to compete for third is really exciting,” said senior hitter Amira Boone.

“We have built up to this our full high school careers. Which I think has been really big for us. We came in with a really big class and grew from freshman year and built up to this moment,” said Layla Christian.

The Rams have put together a truly historic season going farther in the playoff that any preceding team in school history. In her fourth season as head coach, Caroline Gajzler has built a team into a “program.” She looks to replicate the way that the boys’ basketball coach Tom Kleinshmidt followed a third-place finish with two state championships.  

DePaul Prep Volleyball Going to State; Defeats St. Laurence

DePaul Prep girls’ volleyball team defeated St. Laurence in three sets, 21-25, 25-15, 25-21, in tonight’s IHSA 3A Super-sectional at Hinsdale South high school. Rams advance to the state championship tournament Friday and Saturday at the CEFCU Arena, (formerly known as Redbird Arena), in Normal.

The Rams improve their remarkable record to 37-3 and avenge their October 3rd loss at the hands of St. Laurence. St. Laurence may be the best team that DePaul Prep has faced this season. Hinsdale South was full of loud Ram and Viking fans. Easily the most exciting volleyball match that I have attended.

The Rams dropped the first set after falling behind early. They fought but could not get all the way back and dropped the first set 21-25. They don’t get down. They believe in themselves. They showed it after falling behind in the first set in the St. Ignatius match and then battling back to win.

In the second set, the Rams grabbed and early lead and built on it in typical fashion ultimately winning 25-15.

The third set was very stressful. Back and forth. After being tied at 16, the Rams built a small lead and took the match 25-21 in the third set.

Still another state tournament for DePaul Prep.

The Rams will face the Mahomet-Seymour Bulldogs (37-3) on Friday at 4:00 p.m., in the 3A semi-final. The Rams and Bulldogs had no common opponents this year. The Bulldogs lost to Champaign Central (3A) and Normal West (4A) in September and Effingham (3A) on October 17th. Mahomet-Seymour high school is located in Mahomet, Illinois, which is about 12 miles northwest of Champaign.

The other 3A semi-final will feature Prairie Ridge from Crystal Lake and Limestone from Bartonville.

DePaul Prep Dominates Geneseo 38-13 in 3A Playoff

By Jack Lydon

The DePaul Prep Rams dominated the Geneseo Maple Leafs 38-13 Saturday afternoon in the IHSA 3A second round playoff game. The Rams’ offense scored on all five of their first half possession with four touchdowns and a field goal.

No one knew what to expect in this game. Geneseo (6-5), a team from western Illinois by the Quad Cities, in the Western Big 6 Conference runs an old school double wing “three yards and a cloud of dust” type offense that offense that gives teams trouble who don’t regularly see it. The double wing expects to run the ball and control the clock. Geneseo did neither.

After the Rams took the opening kick off down the field for an early score, a three-yard touchdown run by Rams’ senior running back Nick Martinez, Geneseo answered. On a classic quarterback option, Maple Leafs’ junior tail back Kye Weinzert took the pitch and raced up the Rams’ sideline 75 yards to Rams 12 yard-line. On the next play, Geneseo junior quarterback Braxton McAvoy threw for a 12-yard touchdown on a pass to the middle of the endzone. Not exactly three yards and a cloud of dust.

But Fernando “Juju” Rodriguez and the powerful Rams offense were too much for Geneseo. The one-two punch of Juju’s passing and the gashing runs of Nick Martinez had the Rams scoring every time they had the ball in the first half: four touchdowns and a field goal. A double-wing offense simply can’t overcome that.

It wasn’t just the conservative offense that doomed Geneseo. The Rams’ defense had something to do with it. The Rams forced six turnovers and allowed probably not that many first downs. The Rams recovered four Geneseo fumbles and intercepted two passes.

It was the Rams that ran the ball. Senior running back Nick Martinez returned to the Rams backfield after aggravating a hamstring injury in the final regular season game against Benet and sitting out the first playoff game against Dyett.

“We held [Nick Martinez] out last week on purpose. We wanted him to get healthy. He felt good all week long. He was back. With him and Juju [Rodriguez] in that backfield, they get it humming,” said DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella.

They did indeed. Martinez’s runs kept Geneseo off balance and opened up the passing lanes for Rodriguez who threw for two touchdowns and ran for another.

“Missing a few games really affected me. I still had to stay disciplined to make sure I had a good recovery. My plan was to come back for this game and dominate,” said Martinez.

The Rams will face St. Laurence (7-3) in the 4A quarterfinal game at DePaul Prep Stadium next Saturday at 1:00 p.m. St. Laurence defeated Wheaten Academy (9-1) in something of an upset with the Vikings being the 12th seed defeating the #4 seed, Wheaton Academy 26-14.

St. Laurence is out of the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic League White Division. The White Division is stacked with two other top teams Fenwick and Montini. Fenwick upset Brother Rice last week but lost to Downers Grove North in a close game 13-10. Montini, a 3A team, defeated #1 seed Byron and is a favorite to win 3A.

St. Laurence and DePaul Prep did not play this year. Their common opponents included only St. Patrick and Carmel. Both St. Laurence and DePaul Prep won those games.

It's had to say who will be a favorite in the DePaul Prep v. St. Laurence game. The Rams come in with the higher #9 seed to the Vikings #16 seed. But that doesn’t much matter as it does not take strength of schedule into account. The CCL/ESCC White would be considered a higher division in the conference but not by much. But the Rams are 4-1 at home this year losing only to Loyola at home.

DePaul Prep Defeats St. Ignatius to Win 3A Sectional

It didn’t look good for the Rams midway through the first set when they were down 18-12. Then, slowly at first, they cut the margin to 22-17. Then the Rams charged back outscoring the Wolfpack 7-1, taking the first set 25-23.

The second set saw the more typical Rams play—steady building a lead. They took the Wolfpack 25-16 in the second set and the match. A 3A Sectional final match and advance to the Super-sectional on Monday. One game away from the State Tournament.

The Wolfpack are an excellent volleyball team. Every bit the equal of the Rams. Ignatius returned most of their team from last’s 3A third-place finishers. It was the Wolfpack that ended the Rams’ season last year in the Sectional semi-final. The Rams have been working toward this win all year. Even so, the Wolfpack seemed a little shellshocked by the Rams’ first set comeback.

The did not get down; they came back and won. This just might be the Rams’ year. The Rams have a remarkable 36-3 record this year. But one the three losses came at St. Laurence on October 3rd in three sets.

St. Laurence is next. The Super-sectional is Monday evening at Hinsdale South high school. With the St. Ignatius defeat avenged, there is another defeat to take care of on Monday.

As for the photos, I went a little crazy. I shot 2987 photos. I picked out 109 to process. I ended up only working up 40. I wanted to get as many as I could knowing this would be a historic game between two of the top teams in the state.

The light is always challenging in the Gentile Gym. Very yellow non-LED lights. I spoke to St. Ignatius AD Mike Hurley about it. I told him that he could not be outdone by DePaul Prep AD Pat Mahoney who just bought new LED lights for the Tom Winiecki Gym which will be installed before the basketball season. Hurley smiled and said nothing about getting new lights. My personal crusade to improve the lights in Catholic Leagues gyms still has a way to go.

I hope you like the photos.

DePaul Prep Wins Playoff Game 48-8 over Dyett

[A preview of my story in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

The DePaul Prep Rams (7-3) defeated the Dyett Eagles 48-8 Saturday afternoon at Stagg Stadium on the South side. The Rams had a 42-0 halftime lead on the Eagles so there was a running clock in the second half.

The Rams defense opened the game with an impressive start that set the tone for the rest of the game. Dyett had -17 years of total offense on the first two drives. The Rams offense answered with two quick touchdowns making the score 14-0 before Dyett had a first down.

Even with the two quick touchdowns, the Rams’ offense was not hitting on its usual strength the passing game and the passing and scrambling talent of senior quarterback Fernando “Juju” Rodriguez.

“I would say I was just antsy,” Rodriguez admitted after the game.

“I saw [Juju] after the second drive I grabbed him. I said dude, ‘you’ve gotta calm down.’ He was late. They ran a little bit of a different defense than what we say on films. So that was new and he was probably just trying to work through some adjustments,” said Rams’ head coach Mike Passarella.

Not that this was a big deal. They lead 14-0. And the defense was playing at a level they have not been at in weeks. A few incomplete passes is hardly a huge problem or even something unusual.  

The second quarter was a whole different story. Rodriguez calmed down. He scrambled around, avoiding tackles and making big throws. The Rams put up four touchdowns and extra points in the second quarter and took a 42-0 at the half.

While the final score of 48-8 might suggest that the Rams would be a heavy favorite coming into the game, which they were, the peculiarities of the IHSA seeding system had the Eagles as a #8 seed and the Rams as a #9 seed making Dyett the home team. The seeding system doesn’t take into account strength of schedule.

For instance, Sullivan High School finished the season 9-0 in the Chicago Public League’s White-North Division and earned a #1 seed in one side of the 4A bracket. However, Sullivan played only other CPL teams and no team from the CPL’s top division, the Red Division. Sullivan lost 42-0 Saturday at Winnemac Stadium to Geneseo, a rural school from Western Illinois just outside of the Quad Cities.

Geneseo, now 6-4, will be the Rams’ next opponent next Saturday as the 4A playoffs continue. This time the Rams’ will be a home team in playoff game for the first time in decades. Geneseo will once again have to travel across the state to Chicago for a playoff game. This game will prove a good deal more competitive for both squads.

The Geneseo Green Machine comes out of the Western Big 6 Conference, which has seven teams, where they finished in fifth place with a 5-4 record. Don’t be fooled by that. There are very good teams in that conference, including Quincy and Moline, both playoff 7A teams.

Geneseo employs a double wing offense that is difficult for teams to stop. The offense is something of an old-school run-heavy offense that controls the ball in three yards and a cloud of dust fashion. Old school or not, this offense can be very effective. Lane Tech head coach Dedrick Dewalt proved that a couple years ago when he dialed it up for Champions who won six straight with it and made the playoffs. The Rams coaching staff will have to be coaching up their players on how to stop the double wing.

Even more disconcerting about Geneseo has to be their uniforms. The Green Machine’s uniforms are basically the same as the Green Bay Packers. The mere sight of those yellow and green helmets are bound bring out a mix of hatred, anger and dread amongst the Rams players, coaches and fans.