A REAL TURKEY
Thanksgiving week wasn’t same without state, with St. Rita, Mount Carmel, H-F as title favorites
For high school football fans, Thanks giving week generally means more than loading up on turkey and all the trimmings.
It’s also about watching state championship games on Friday and Saturday. Eight games split over two days, beginning each morning and ending late at night.
It’s a perfect ending to aweek filled with gratitude and celebration.
That’s why last week was imperfect. With the Illinois High School Association pushing back the football season to the spring due to the coronavirus pandemic, therewere no state championship games— similar to a Thanksgiving dinner without dressing and cranberry sauce.
Since 1990, covering the state finals has been a ritual for me.
Did you knowthat during those 30 years, the Southland has had at least one team play for a state championship every season?
That’s a remarkable streak, and a testament to the region’s skill, persistence and coaching.
Allowme to break down the Southland’s success even further during those three decades:
In 28 of those 30 seasons, the Southland has had more than one team represented in various state championship games, be it in Class 4A, 5A, 6A, 7A or 8A.
Only in 1992 and 2008 did the Southland have just one team playing for a state championship: Joliet Catholic in 1992 in 5A and Lemont in 2008 in 6A.
Both took second place.
For the most part, we’ve brought home the top prize— winner, winner, chicken dinner.
In 1990, Joliet Catholicwon 4A, Mount Carmelwon 5A and Thorntonwon 6A. Not a bad start tomy 30-year run.
There only have been six seasons since 1990 when the Southland didn’t boast of a state champion—1992, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2015.
Our local teams ended up in second place for those seasons.
The oddest yearswere 2009 and 2015 when the Southland had three teams competing in state championship games.
In 2009, Joliet Catholic advanced in 5A, Providence in 6A andMarist in 8A.
Each team finished second.
In 2015, Lincoln-WayWest in 5A, CreteMonee in 6A andMarist in 8A each made it to the state championship game.
And, you guessed it, each settled for runner-up status.
Of course, we can thank Joliet Catholic, Mount Carmel and Providence for coming through during most seasons. The trio has combined for a total of 37 state titles.
I’m willing to go out on a limb and predict the Southlandwould havewon three state championships in 2020 if there had been a fall season— St. Rita in 5A, Mount Carmel in 7A andHomewood-Flossmoor in 8A.
In 2019, St. Rita lost in the 5A championship game. But with a talented returning nucleus led by running back Kaleb Brown, theMustangswould have been tough to stop in any class, much less 5A.
Hillcrest with running backMar’Keise Irving and Joliet Catholic with running back Jordan Anderson could have played spoiler.
Mount Carmel, the defending 7A state champion, is arguably the most talented team in the state. A slew of returning starters, led by quarterback Justin Lynch and two-way threatKenenna Odeluga, were in prime position for state championshipNo. 14.
In 8A, the one-two punch of running back Sean Allen and receiverWill Pauling had expectations soaring at H-F. Throwin coach Craig Buzea’s inspiring battle with cancer, and the Vikingswould have been tough to beat.
With running backWillie Shawand up-and-coming quarterback Jack Lausch, Brother Rice could have made a run. Likewise forMarist, with quarterback Dontrell Jackson Jr. as a star in the making and a skilled offensive line.
And no matter howmuch talent graduates fromyear to year, never count out defending 8A state champion Lincoln-Way East.
Itwould have made for a memorable end to Thanksgivingweek.
It’s still memorable— but for entirely different reasons.