Marist receiver Patrick Johnson and all of the players in the CCL/ESSC Blue will have rough and tumble games this season. Photo by Jeff Vorva
IHSA releases 2022 football schedule
By Jeff Vorva
Staff Writer
It’s that time of year.
The IHSA has released the 2022 football schedule.
So, from now until Aug. 26, one can go on the IHSA website, look at the schedules and see all of the blanks where the results and scores will be. It’s a clean sheet for all, and the time for dirtying up and filling in those blanks will be here before we know it.
Here are a few observations after scanning the area schedules:
The Blue stew
Standing out like a sportswriter in a GQ magazine is the stew in the Blue.
Any game in the four-team powerhouse Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Blue is must-see. There are only six contests and they are all gems.
Marist is at Mount Carmel to kick off the conference season on Friday, Sept. 16. Brother Rice is at Loyola at 1:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17.
Brother Rice hosts Mount Carmel at 7 p.m. Sept. 30. Marist hosts Loyola at 7 p.m. the same night.
The Crusaders host the RedHawks in the neighborhood grudge match at 7 p.m. Oct. 21 while Mount Carmel visits Loyola at 1 p.m. on Oct. 22 to close out the regular season.
People can argue all they want whether this is the best conference in the state, but there doesn’t seem to be a dud in the schedule.
Not easy being in Green
The CCL/ESCC Green may be a tick below the Blue but it is not too shabby, with Class 7A runner-up St. Rita along with Nazareth, Benet and Notre Dame hashing things out.
For local fans, St. Rita at Nazareth will be the main event at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 30.
Nazareth’s non-conference schedule gets off to a rocking start as the Roadrunners host Class 5A runnerup Kankakee at 7 p.m. Aug. 26.
For the most part, St. Rita will stay within the CCL/ESCC for its non-conference opponents as it faces the Blue’s Mt. Carmel, Brother Rice and Loyola, Orange member Providence and Purple resident St. Patrick.
The Mustangs also face Marian Central Catholic, which is an independent that was in the CCL/ESCC in recent years.
Heading to Indy
Chicago’s Christian’s second-week trip to Ottawa for a game against Marquette will not be the Knights’ longest jaunt of the season.
The eighth week of the season, on Oct. 15, the Knights have a long trip to Indianapolis to take on Phalen Leadership Academy.
For those unfamiliar with PLA — and that is most of us — the Falcons were 1-5 last year in games reported to MaxPreps, including an Oct. 16 forfeit to Mount Carmel because the team had several players missing due to COVID-19.
The team’s lone win was a 50-14 rout of Christel House at Manual (Indianapolis).
Too much information on Indiana football? Agreed. Let’s move on.
An extra win in this schedule?
Oak Lawn finished 4-5, just missing being playoff-eligible in Ryan Pattison’s first year as Spartans coach in 2021.
This year’s three non-conference battles for the Spartans are against Tinley Park (1-8 last year), Stagg (0-9) and Bremen (5-5), so a good showing against that trio and a winning record in the South Suburban Blue could put the Spartans in the playoffs for the first time since 2010.
Huge rematches
Troy McAllister is in his second year at the helm of Sandburg. In his first year, the Eagles had one of the most amazing turnarounds from one week to the next, which was followed by a run to the Class 8A playoffs.
Sandburg hit rock bottom in the sixth week of the season with a 42-0 home loss to eventual Class 8A state champ Lockport, falling to 2-4. Its chance to qualify for its first postseason appearance since 2015 was toilet paper thin.
Then the Eagles did the seemingly impossible the following week. They knocked off Lincoln-Way East, 30-27, in Frankfort. It was their first win over the Griffins since 2007.
That sparked a season-ending streak that featured wins over Stagg, Homewood-Flossmoor and Lincoln-Way Central to help the Eagles make the playoffs.
In 2022, the Eagles have back-to-back games against these two teams again. They visit Lockport at 7 p.m. on Sept. 23 and host Lincoln-Way East at 6 p.m. on Sept. 30.
Morton looking for history
Morton went 3-6 last season, the most wins for the Mustangs since winning four in 2010.
The Mustangs have never qualified for the playoffs. If they can pick up a couple of more victories this season, they can make history.
The bad news is they have Riverside-Brookfield, York and Oak Park on the schedule for non-conference games. They lost to those three schools by a combined score of 118-28 last year. Can they turn it around this year?
In high school football, anything is possible.
Stagg looks for a win
Stagg finished 0-9 last year and the Chargers’ closest setback was a 24-19 home loss to Lincoln-Way Central. The rest of the losses were by 19 or more points. The Chargers last win was Aug. 30, 2019 when they pillaged Little Village, 35-16, in the season opener.
Can Colt Nero’s team taste victory in 2022? Non-conference opponents are Reavis, Oak Lawn, Lincoln-Way East, Sandburg and Bolingbrook. SouthWest Suburban Red foes will be Andrew, Bradley-Bourbonnais, and Lincoln Ways West and Central.
Did you know?
Because of some CCL/ESCC defections, the conference’s Red division has just two teams: DePaul and Leo.
Thus, the Sept. 16 tangle between the two teams at Leo will determine the conference championship.
Local News
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Obituaries April 25, 2024
Spread the loveJOSEPH C. BURDA Joseph C. Burda, age 81, passed away March 28. Loving father of Amy Burda and Joseph Burda; dearest grandfather of Ryan Wenk and Lillianah Burda; cherished son of the late Mary (nee Breyer) and the late Joseph M. Burda; dear brother of Joan (Dan) Gale and Anna Hovey. Also survived…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Palos Heights recognizes volunteers
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights handed out awards last week recognizing the services provided by volunteers through the years. The proclamations, which were read aloud during the city council meeting April 16, were a testament to the city’s volunteers and were handed out as part of Volunteer Recognition Week. Volunteers were cited for…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…
Gaming licenses to be tougher to get in Orland Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of…
Neighbors
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Lawmakers pitch sweeping changes to energy industry and Chicagoland transit system
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com A group of lawmakers and influential environmental advocates are calling for broad changes to the state’s energy industry and a massive increase in state oversight of Chicagoland’s transit system – which faces a projected $730 million budget shortfall. Advocates for the policy platform, which is broken up into…
Democrats flex muscle to kick off final month of session as revenues remain on track
By JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois jnowicki@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – With about three weeks to go before the Illinois General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn its spring legislative session, supermajority Democrats showed their strength this week as fiscal forecasters noted state revenues remain on track. April is typically a make-or-break month for state coffers, as income…
Former state trooper who caused fatal crash halts effort to get driving privileges restored
By BETH HUNDSDORFER Capitol News Illinois bhundsdorfer@capitolnewsillinois.com The former Illinois State Trooper who pleaded guilty to vehicular manslaughter of two sisters in 2007 has abandoned his efforts to have a hearing into the restoration of his driving privileges – for now. Matt Mitchell, 45, requested at least two delays in the hearing after he failed…
Capitol Briefs: Senate advances elections bill, measure targeting ‘predatory’ lending
By PETER HANCOCK & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A bill that would put more controls on certain kinds of high-cost loans to small businesses cleared the Illinois Senate Thursday. Senate Bill 2234, known as the Small Business Financial Transparency Act, targets a relatively new kind of nontraditional lender in the credit…
Law enforcement community honors fallen officers at Illinois Capitol
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Six fallen police officers were honored at an annual memorial service outside the State Capitol Thursday. The Illinois Police Officers Memorial occurs annually on the first Thursday of May to honor officers who died in the line of duty and to support their families. “No one…
Democrats muscle through changes to ballot access, advisory questions
By JERRY NOWICKI HANNAH MEISEL & PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Supermajority Democrats in the Illinois House moved quickly Wednesday to push through a change to state election laws that partially limits ballot access and adds three nonbinding referendums to the 2024 general election ballot. It’s a move that caused minority party…
After 3 years, state poised to enforce law aiming to end lending discrimination
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – In 1977, then-President Jimmy Carter signed into law the Community Reinvestment Act, a federal law that sought to wipe away the last vestiges of racial discrimination and redlining in America’s home mortgage industry. The idea was simple. By requiring lenders – primarily banks – to make…
Capitol News Illinois partners with ‘Illinois Lawmakers’ program to bring it back to air
Capitol News Illinois announced today it will produce the long-running “Illinois Lawmakers” program this spring, in partnership with longtime host and producer Jak Tichenor. “This new partnership is absolutely critical to providing Illinois residents with reliable, independent, in-depth, up to date coverage from the Illinois Capitol after many newspapers and broadcasters shuttered their Statehouse bureaus over…
Election officials to weigh whether Darren Bailey and GOP operative Dan Proft illegally coordinated
By ANDREW ADAMS & HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – A year and a half after Republican Darren Bailey lost his campaign to challenge Gov. JB Pritzker, state election officials are weighing whether he illegally colluded with conservative radio show host and political operative Dan Proft in the 2022 campaign. The State Board…