Three state finalists from the Southwest Regional Publishing coverage area. Three state champions.
As the final Top 10 of the 2024 season is published, we’d like to laud Mount Carmel for winning its 16th overall state title – an Illinois record – and third in a row. The Caravan are the Class 7A champs.
For Nazareth, it won its sixth state championship under head coach Tim Racki since 2014 and its third in a row. The Roadrunners are the best in Class 5A.
And Chicago Christian – which had never advanced past the quarterfinals before – earned its first state championship in a boys sport in school history. The Knights took home the hardware in Class 2A.
In all, it was a fun and memorable season for the teams in our area. Here is the final top 10:
1. Mount Carmel (11-3)
The Caravan beat Batavia 55-34 in the Class 7A final.
Quarterback Jack Elliott, a Vanderbilt recruit, passed for 3,147 yards and 36 TDs while rushing for 770 yards and 17 more scores.
2. Nazareth (12-2)
The Roadrunners held off Joliet Catholic 29-27 in the Class 5A title game.
Four-year starting quarterback Logan Malachuk capped his career by passing for 3,421 yards and 46 TDs with just six interceptions in 306 attempts. He finished with an IHSA-record 11,188 career passing yards and 131 TDs.
3. St. Rita (10-3)
The Mustangs were knocked out of the Class 7A playoffs with a 43-24 loss to Mount Carmel.
Despite the season-ending defeat against rival Mount Carmel, the Mustangs still had a strong season. The future looks bright for coach Martin Hopkins’ team.
4. Richards (11-2)
Eventual Class 6A chamo East St. Louis ended the Bulldogs’ season, winning 48-0 in the semifinals.
Replacing senior running back Myles Mitchell (North Dakota State) won’t be easy. But the Bulldogs did reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2018.
5. Lyons (11-1)
The Lions were knocked out of the Class 8A playoffs with a 24-7 quarterfinal loss to Naperville Central 24-7.
It was a historic season for Lyons, which won its first outright conference title since 1987, had its first 9-0 regular season since 1943 and set a program record with 11 wins.
6. Marist (9-2)
The RedHawks fell 24-20 in the second round to eventual Class 8A champ Loyola.
After missing out on state playoffs in 2023, Marist returned this season and gave Loyola all it could handle in Mike Fitzgerald’s first year as head coach.
7. St. Laurence (8-4)
A year after reaching the Class 4A title game, the Vikings lost to DePaul Prep 26-14 in the quarterfinals.
St. Laurence led the eventual Class 4A champion Rams 14-0 at halftime. Still, it was a solid season in Burbank.
8. Brother Rice (6-4)
The Crusaders fell to Fenwick 12-7 in their Class 7A playoff opener.
The loss to the Friars should provide Crusaders with inspiration for further progress in next season’s state playoffs.
9. Shepard (7-3)
The Astros’ season ended with a 52-21 loss to Washington in the opening round of the Class 6A playoffs.
Shepard’s first playoff appearance since 2021 was dampened by the first-round loss. But nonetheless, the Astros performed very well this season.
10. Chicago Christian (13-1)
Led by two-way stars Kenny Jager and Christian Flutman, the Knights eat Maroa-Forsyth 47-0 for the Class 2A title.
Chicago Christian made history with an offense that piled up 192 points in five playoff games and held Maroa-Forsyth to a title-game record of 23 total yards..