If the Iannantone name sounds familiar, the Joliet Catholic running back is not alone among area athletes from his extended family
By Jeff Vorva
During the holidays years ago, when he and his cousins would get together, Vinny Iannantone had no idea they would make an impact in sports at three high schools.
“I never thought our name would be that big around the area like that,” he said.
Multiple athletes. Multiple sports. Multiple high schools. Multiple colleges.
It seems like the Iannantones are everywhere.
Vinny is a senior running back for top-seeded Joliet Catholic (11-0), which hosts Genoa-Kingston (10-1) at 7 p.m. Saturday in a Class 4A state quarterfinal game at Joliet Memorial Stadium.
His older brother, Nick, was a standout baseball player and running back for the Hilltoppers who rushed for 318 yards in the 2018 5A state championship game. He’s now playing baseball for South Carolina Upstate.
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Some of his cousins who have enjoyed success include Gianni, Rocco and Dominic Iannantone.
Gianni, who played softball at Andrew, was an honorable mention All-American in the spring at Indianapolis. Rocco, a running back at Andrew, was a Carthage recruit. Dominic, who wrestled for Sandburg, is on Elmhurst’s roster.
There are a couple of more on the cusp. Reanna, the sister of Gianni and Rocco, was a freshman this fall on Andrew’s JV team in girls volleyball. Enzo, the younger brother of Nick and Vinny, is an eighth grader and future Hilltopper.
It was a decade or so ago these future stars were a bunch of kids just getting together for some family fun.
“We would all play football in the yard and toss the baseball around,” Vinny said. “We got together pretty much around holidays. It was just a bunch of fun.
“We never really got into each others’ heads or trash talked. We just played for fun.”
Vinny said the group hasn’t gotten together in a few years.
“We all got busy as we grew older,” he said.
Vinny also hopes to have a couple of busy weeks ahead. Joliet Catholic’s industrial-strength offense faces a Genoa-Kingston defense that hasn’t allowed a touchdown since Oct. 8.
In a 48-14 victory Friday over Wheaton Academy, however, the Hilltoppers had four players rush for more than 100 yards. Iannantone finished with 121. Quarterback Aidan Voss and running backs Jordan Anderson and Ryan Louthan all reached triple digits.
Iannantone credited linemen Lucas Sartori, Anthony Birsa, Paul Ragusa, Niko Paolino and Joshua Jones and Louthan, the fullback, for opening holes.
Iannantone, who added the running backs and Voss also stick their noses into the fray to help advance the ball, said he’s waiting for the season to end before figuring out his plans for college.
“I’ll talk to some coaches,” he said. “I’m hoping we can make a run for state and bring it home, talk to some schools and make a choice.”
Iannantone has the resume for the next level.
He has rushed for 1,546 yards this season, and with potentially three games to go, has a good shot at 2,000.
Anderson, an Illinois recruit, commands the headliner attention, but the 6-foot, 205-pound Iannantone keyed the offense when Anderson was injured and won the CCL/ESCC Orange Gordie Gillespie MVP Award.
“Vinny has had a big season for us,” Joliet Catholic coach Jake Jaworski said. “He has carried the load on the ground. He has been one of our MVPs of our team.
“He worked really hard this offseason coming back from an injury this spring. He’s as tough as nails and is a throwback kind of football player.”