Mount Carmel’s run as the No. 1 team in the area ends after nearly a full year at the top. The Caravan held the top spot in the Super 25 rankings for 16 consecutive editions, dating to the preseason last year.
There is certainly no shame in losing to East St. Louis, and it initially seemed as though Mount Carmel should remain No. 1. The Flyers aren’t in the Sun-Times’ coverage area, and the Caravan’s stable of college-bound talent is well-documented.
But the 42-23 loss to East St. Louis on Saturday at Illinois State just wasn’t close enough for Mount Carmel to stay on top. The Caravan’s defense was at full strength and allowed five touchdowns.
Coach Jordan Lynch’s offense had a bit of an excuse for a down night, given that starting quarterback Ryder Startz left with an injury at halftime. But Mount Carmel clearly planned to use two quarterbacks. Senior Brady Cloherty checked in during the second drive and was sharing time with Startz before the injury.
The Caravan play on ESPN this weekend against New Jersey powerhouse St. Joseph Regional. It will be the season opener for the Green Knights, who have won 17 state titles since 1979.
Loyola grabs the crown
It didn’t take long for coach John Holecek and Loyola to reclaim the top spot in the rankings. The Ramblers beat Warren 31-0 on Friday in Gurnee.
Loyola’s running game was dominant, with junior Marco Maldonado rushing for 135 yards and junior Jayden Garrett adding 104.
The Ramblers’ 21-17 loss to Mount Carmel in the first round of the Class 8A playoffs last season is still fresh in the memory. Loyola hung with the Caravan just a few months ago and returns most of its talented offensive players from that matchup.
Next up for the Ramblers is a trip Friday to Indianapolis to face Cathedral, which lost to Indianapolis Ben Davis in Week 1.
Brother Rice, Nazareth fall
Mount Carmel wasn’t the only Catholic League team loaded with college prospects to lose in Week 1. Brother Rice and Nazareth, both ranked in the preseason top five, suffered upset defeats.
The Crusaders lost a close game to Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort, and the Roadrunners lost 35-21 to IC Catholic, a team that was overlooked in the preseason.
The Knights are led by junior tight end Grant Bowen, one of the top prospects in the country, who has more than 30 college scholarship offers.
Bowen caught two touchdown passes against Nazareth, but the breakout star of the game — and maybe of Week 1 overall — was IC Catholic’s Jakobe Baldwin.
The sophomore running back ripped off a 65-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished with 202 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Rankings moves
Bolingbrook, Barrington and Carmel drop out of the Super 25 after Week 1 losses. The Broncos and Corsairs lost competitive games to ranked teams and remain on the radar.
Bolingbrook’s 31-0 loss to Homewood-Flossmoor was a shocker. The Vikings were expected to be a ranked-caliber team, but the Raiders are among the most talented teams in the state.
That victory gets Homewood-Flossmoor in at No. 14, and IC Catholic joins at No. 16 after its triumph against Nazareth.
St. Charles North, which beat Minooka 28-7, makes its season debut at No. 25.
Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 2
With record, last week’s ranking and Week 2 opponent
1. Loyola (1-0) 3
Won 31-0 at Warren.
Week 2: Friday at Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.
2. Mount Carmel (0-1) 1
Lost 42-23 vs. East St. Louis at ISU.
Week 2: Friday vs. St. Joseph, N.J.
3. Montini (1-0) 4
Won 48-0 vs. Hoopeston.
Week 2: Friday at No. 23 Sandburg.
4. Lincoln-Way East (1-0) 18
Won 22-21 vs. Brother Rice.
Week 2: Friday at No. 19 Kankakee.
5. Batavia (1-0) 8
Won 49-35 vs. No. 11 Maine South.
Week 2: Friday at Rochester.
6. Oswego (1-0) 6
Won 44-22 vs. Neuqua Valley.
Week 2: Friday at No. 12 Geneva.
7. Providence (1-0) 13
Won 28-21 at St. Rita.
Week 2: Friday vs. Kenwood
8. Brother Rice (0-1) 2
Lost 22- 21 at Lincoln-Way East.
Week 2: Friday vs. Woodlawn
9. Hersey (1-0) 10
Won 38-22 vs. No. 22 Carmel.
Week 2: Friday at Hoffman Estates.
10. Glenbard West (1-0) 12
Won 21-14 at Lockport.
Week 2: Saturday vs. No. 15 St. Rita.
11. St. Francis (0-1) 7
Lost 28-17 at New Palestine, Ind.
Week 2: Friday vs. Clemente.
12. Geneva (1-0) 14
Won 28-14 vs. Libertyville.
Week 2: Friday vs. No. 6 Oswego.
13. Maine South (0-1) 11
Lost 49-35 at Batavia.
Week 2: Friday vs. Warren.
14. Homewood-Flossmoor (1-0) NR
Won 31-0 at Bolingbrook.
Week 2: Friday vs. Richards.
15. St. Rita (0-1) 15
Lost 28-21 vs. Providence.
Week 2: Saturday at No. 10 Glenbard West.
16. IC Catholic (1-0) NR
Won 35-21 vs. Nazareth.
Week 2: Friday vs. St. Mary's South Side, Mo.
17. York (1-0) 17
Won 20-17 vs. Glenbrook South.
Week 2: Friday at No. 18 Nazareth.
18. Nazareth (0-1) 5
Lost 35-21 at IC Catholic.
Week 2: Friday vs. No. 17 York.
19. Kankakee (1-0) 19
Won 28-7 at Edwardsville.
Week 2: Friday vs. No. 4 Lincoln-Way East.
20. Downers Grove North (1-0) 20
Won 17-12 vs. Morgan Park.
Week 2: Friday vs. Downers Grove South.
21. Prospect (1-0) 21
Won 31-10 at Stevenson.
Week 2: Friday vs. St. Laurence.
22. Lyons (1-0) 25
Won 24-19 vs. Barrington.
Week 2: Friday at Wheaton-Warrenville South.
23. Sandburg (1-0) 23
Won 28-6 at Riverside-Brookfield.
Week 2: Friday vs. No. 3 Montini.
24. Fenwick (1-0) 24
Won 28-13 at Joliet Catholic.
Week 2: Friday at Oak Park.
25. St. Charles North (1-0) NR
Won 28-7 vs. Minooka.
Week 2: Friday at South Elgin.
