Rise of the Astros
Shepard ends a decadeslong drought against Richards, plus four more Week 2 takeaways
Shepard ends a decade drought against Richards, plus four more takeaways from week 2 of high school football.
So you wanted some fireworks with your high school football?
You received your wish in Week 2, which provided head-spinning individual performances and a handful of eye-opening final scores.
Let’s take a look back:
Long time coming
There were thousands of Shepard graduates flashing a wide grin all weekend. And who could blame them? For the first time since 1993, the Astros defeated Richards and ended a 15-game losing skid.
And coach John Rone’s team did it in resounding fashion.
Shepard 42, Richards 8.
Wow.
“They handed it to us for years,” Rone said. “I’m not going to lie, it was a sweet feeling.”
What impressed me most is how the Astros bounced back from a 41-7 loss in Week 1 to Lemont.
A loss like that can set a sour tone for the rest of the season, but Shepard didn’t allow that to define its team.
Instead, the Astros regrouped and showed immense character.
“When I took over three years ago, one of the first things I said to the players was our identity has to be our mental toughness,” Rone said. “With that, you can endure a lot and still overcome.
“The other thing was, we had to remove the Richards mystique. If we’re going to be conference champs, we have to beat Richards.”
Running back Kendrick Washington rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns and quarterback Quran McClellan hooked up with Elijah Tyson on a pair of TD passes.
The Astros had four interceptions, led by Jalen Smith’s pick-six.
That’s more like it
After being held to three points against Loyola in a 7-3 Week 1 loss, St. Rita’s offense hit on all cylinders Friday against Montini.
The Mustangs exploded for 51 points. When coach Todd Kuska boasted before the season about the stockpile of firepower the Mustangs had, this was the type of juggernaut he envisioned.
And, yes, you guessed it, Kaleb Brown was right in the thick of things.
The junior with more than 20 BCS offers unleashed a 71-yard TD run and hauled in a 65-yard TD pass. Quarterback Tommy Ulatowski fired three TD passes and running back Kyle James punched in a pair of TDs.
Plus, Henry Wilson lowered the boom on a Montini defender just before crossing the goal line that shook the St. Rita campus.
Have a day
T.F. South’s Devion Goodson had a game he won’t soon forget during a 41-20 win over Tinley Park.
The senior running back/defensive back had a 28-yard TD reception, a 35-yard TD run and a 55-yard interception return for a TD.
That gives new meaning to the term hat trick.
During his 40-year career, T.F. South coach Bob Padjen has never witnessed a performance quite like the one from Goodson.
“He’s a heck of an athlete,” Padjen said. “He has a knack for the ball, great hands and a burst of speed. He’s so humble you’d never know he had the game that he did.”
Getting after it
There were whispers Crete-Monee, which advanced to the Class 6A state championship game in 2018 and 2015 and won the 6A state title in 2012, was a little down by its standards.
I can confirm the roster numbers are somewhat low — only 31 players dressed for Saturday’s game against Marian Catholic.
Don’t misinterpret a lack of quantity, however, for quality. Particularly when it comes the Warriors’ defense, which dominated Marian during a 57-14 win.
Crete-Monee’s front four of Xavier Slayton, Brandon Harry, Nehemiah Lomax and Malachi Jennings-Armstrong were relentless. Linebackers Terry Elias, Ray Arebalo and Keegan Ramirez made a living in the backfield.
And to top it off, the Warriors had five turnovers, including three interceptions. It was a mighty impressive performance. “I’m so pleased with how the defense played,” Crete-Monee coach John Konecki said. “They were flying around fast and furious. I thought they looked really good.”
So did I.
Bright future
Marist junior Jimmy Rolder is verbally committed to play baseball at Illinois.
The 6-3, 220-pound junior linebacker/ receiver made an impact on both sides of the ball, though, against Brother Rice. The kid is a major athlete.