Football Wrap | Nazareth lays waste to Glenbard South, advances to 5A quarterfinals
By Mike Walsh
Correspondent
There’s just something about playing postseason football that suits Nazareth very well.
Saturday afternoon in LaGrange Park, the Roadrunners (6-5) rolled into the Class 5A quarterfinals with a 42-0 victory over Glenbard South.
Quarterback Logan Malachuk threw two TD passes, including a 17-yarder to Jake Cestone. Malachuk also scored on a 35-yard run.
The defending Class 5A champions, Nazareth has won six of its last seven games after beginning the season with four consecutive losses. The Roadrunners have outscored their opponents 214-135 during that timeframe with the only setback coming in a 35-17 loss to visiting Wheaton St. Francis in the last game of the regular season on Oct. 20.
Nazareth, which has won four state titles under head coach Tim Racki, travels to Carmel (10-1) for a quarterfinal contest this weekend. The Corsairs defeated Antioch, 50-7, in the second round.
CLASS 7A
Mount Carmel 49, Prospect 15
Quarterback Jack Elliott threw four touchdown passes and rushed for another as host Mount Carmel (10-1) prevailed. Elliott connected with Darrion Gilliam two scores and Alonzo Manning and Kevin Gardner on the others. Elliott also tallied on a 37-yard run.
Rory Small threw a 13-yard TD pass to Gardner and Charles Miles Jr. contributed a 36-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Caravan.
Mount Carmel travels to Quincy (11-0) for a quarterfinal matchup this weekend.
CATHOLIC LEAGUE PLAYOFFS
Marist 42, DePaul Prep 13
John McAuliffe rushed 11 times for 102 yards and three touchdowns for Marist (5-5) in its first-round victory. Owen Winters had 10 carries for 122 yards and a TD, and Marc Coy ran for 51 yards and a scores.
Kamil Kokot returned an interception 37 yards for a score.
Notre Dame 21, De La Salle 20 (2 OT)
David Coffey scored on a 3-yard run and caught a 10-yard TD pass as De La Salle (4-6) ended its season with an opening-round loss in Niles. Coffey had seven rushes for 47 yards and four catches for 28 yards.
Quarterback Kenyonte Louis had 12-of-18 passing for 213 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown pass to Tremayne Cheers
Louis ran 20 times for 80 yards. Cheers finished with four catches for 131 yards.
Tristyn Hynes (10 tackles), Alex Luevanos (7 tackles, interception), Josue Hernandez (9 tackles) and Myles Green (two interceptions) chipped in for the Meteors.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
Saint Xavier 38, Olivet Nazarene 21
Amari Venerable rushed 24 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns and Justin Pringle caught eight passes for 131 yards and two scores for host Saint Xavier (6-3, 4-0) in a Mid-States Football Association Midwest matchup. Cougars quarterback Stuart Ross (16-of-27 passing) threw for 228 yards and two scores. Tyler Barnette returned an interception 27 yards for a touchdown, while Peyton Benes drilled a 39-yard field goal.
Local News
Will Johnson helps Sandburg finish second at Spartan-Ram Classic
Will Johnson likes where he is, but knows he has to go farther. Johnson earned a spot on the all-tourney team as Sandburg finished runner-up in the Spartan-Ram Classic with a 53-41 loss to Crete-Monee in the title game on Nov. 29 at Oak Lawn. “I shot the ball well,” said Johnson, a 6-2 junior…
Charles Barnes’ leadership a key for young De La Salle
As one of the veterans on a young De La Salle boys team, Charles Barnes knows he must be a leader. That’s a role the 6-foot-5 junior forward embraces wholeheartedly. Barnes’ leadership skills were on full display in Saturday’s third-place game of the De La Salle/St. Ignatius Windy City Turkey Classic at De La Salle.…
Mount Carmel named top football program in IHSA since 1974
Mount Carmel’s football team edged out Joliet Catholic for the No. 1 spot in the Illinois High School Association’s top 50 teams in the first 50 years the organization sponsored state championships in the sport. Before the poll was released, the Caravan and Joliet Catholic had each won 15 state championships. After the poll was…
Running couple races to victories at Orland Park Turkey Trot
The husband-and-wife team of Andrew Bowman and Sydney Devore-Bowman won their first race together at the Detroit Free Press Marathon in October. “Before that, it never happened,” Bowman said. “We both won the marathon in Pittsburgh, but in different years.” They enjoyed winning together so much, they did it again. The Ferndale, Mich., couple won…
Jack Elliott’s seven touchdowns help Mount Carmel win 16th state title
NORMAL — Mount Carmel has won state titles in several different decades under several different coaches and running several different offenses. But maybe never have the Caravan won a championship quite like this, overcoming so many hurdles. “The big challenge for us (is) no Mount Carmel team has won state (after) losing three games,” coach…
Logan Malachuk, Nazareth win third straight Class 5A state title
NORMAL — When the pandemic came, the players left Nazareth. With no prep football in Illinois in fall 2020 because of COVID, star quarterback JJ McCarthy transferred to national power IMG Academy in Florida. Other players moved elsewhere, including Iowa and Indiana, in order to continue their careers. When the football calendar returned to normal…
Life is good for Kansas City Royals mainstay Michael Massey
It’s been a busy and happy couple of months for Michael Massey. In the span of a few weeks, the Brother Rice graduate and Kansas City Royals second baseman had a successful postseason debut, came home to help his brother, Evergreen Park coach Andrew Massey, with a youth camp and married his fiancee, Jane. Just…
Area roundup: Mother McAuley named No. 1 in IHSA volleyball
To almost no one’s surprise, Mother McAuley was named as the state’s top girls volleyball program in the first 50 years the Illinois High School Association sponsored the sport. The IHSA compiled the list and for McAuley, the numbers have been staggering: 26 state trophies, including 17 state championships. The Mighty Macs have enjoyed four…
Girls basketball notebook: Olivia Barsch, Marist flip script
Last season was something of a trial by fire for Olivia Barsch and several of her Marist teammates. Playing a demanding schedule with a roster that featured four freshmen and only one senior, the RedHawks finished 10-22. But one week into this season, they’re almost halfway to that win total after going 4-0 to win…
Logan Malachuk, Jake Cestone lead Nazareth back to state
As Nazareth quarterback Logan Malachuk took a knee on the final snap, wide receiver Jake Cestone was lined up near midfield just in case something happened. Once Cestone saw that everything was indeed fine, he celebrated the Roadrunners’ 40-21 Class 5A semifinal victory over St. Francis on Nov. 23 in memorable fashion: with a well-executed…
Neighbors
‘There’s something fishy here, don’t you think?’: Wiretapped calls detail Madigan confidant’s confoundment over complicated land deal
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – It was the last day of the General Assembly’s spring legislative session in 2018 when veteran Statehouse lobbyist Mike McClain realized his bill wasn’t going anywhere. McClain was officially retired but still took on “assignments” from his longtime friend Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. But one particular project he took…
Illinois American Water will increase water rates
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO — The state’s largest private water utility, Illinois American Water, will increase customer bills in the new year. The move comes after state regulators at the Illinois Commerce Commission approved the requested increase on Thursday. The five-member board approved a $110 million increase for the company, a 30% reduction from the…
Jurors see list of Madigan’s job recommendations given to newly elected Gov. Pritzker
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – In the weeks following now-Gov. JB Pritzker’s November 2018 victory over one-term Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner, powerful Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan busied himself preparing for a brand new administration after years of conflict with governors of both parties. One of his first priorities was finding jobs for his political…
How RFK Jr.’s health proposals could affect Illinois
Capitol News Illinois Every new presidential administration comes with policy changes, but the incoming second administration of President-elect Donald Trump and his proposed secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., could dramatically reshape the public health landscape. Kennedy, a former political rival of Trump, became a close ally of Trump over the…
‘You won’t spend a day in jail’: Madigan attorney hammers Solis’ agreement with feds
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – The day after Christmas 2018, then-Chicago Ald. Danny Solis signed an agreement with federal prosecutors, with whom he’d spent the last 2 ½ years working as a secret cooperating witness in a sprawling corruption investigation. Solis’ undercover work helped bring down two of Illinois’ biggest and longest-serving Democratic powerbrokers. Former…
Pritkzer education policy advisor named to head new Department of Early Childhood
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Monday appointed Teresa Ramos to be the first permanent secretary of the newly-formed Illinois Department of Early Childhood. “I’m eager to get started working with an incredible team of state employees, parents and families, advocates, and early childhood providers to create something exceptional that will give…
Semi driver involved in fatal crash of deputy had previous unreported DUI conviction, prompting call for federal audit
Capitol News Illinois Four years before police said he caused a crash that killed a DeKalb County sheriff’s deputy, Nathan Sweeney pleaded guilty to driving under the influence and having 44 grams of heroin in his car – an offense that, if properly reported to the secretary of state, should have led to the revocation…
Madigan attorney accuses Solis of not telling feds ‘all the crimes you committed’
Capitol News Illinois CHICAGO – Former Chicago Ald. Danny Solis spent more than 2 ½ years living a double life as an FBI cooperating witness after agents approached him in 2016, asking him to wear a wire on his colleagues or risk being charged for multiple bribes he’d taken while in office. Solis’ extraordinary cooperation…
State Board of Elections certifies election results showing decline in turnout
Capitol News Illinois SPRINGFIELD — Vice President Kamala Harris won Illinois by nearly 11 points as turnout dipped in 2024, according to official election results certified by the State Board of Elections. The board met Monday to certify the results of the 2024 election and released final vote totals for races around the state, including…
Appellate Court finds former Sangamon County deputy Sean Grayson should be released until trial
Capitol News Illinois Prosecutors will ask the Illinois Supreme Court to review an appellate court ruling that found former Sangamon County sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson should be released from jail pending trial on charges related to the July 6 shooting death of Sonya Massey. On Wednesday, Nov. 27, the 4th District Court of Appeals ordered…
