St. Francis coach Bob McMillen credited a tough loss to Fenwick in Week 4 as a key moment that helped the Spartans turn their season around.

The Friars beat the Spartans 17-16 on a last-minute field goal, but St. Francis used that loss as a launching pad to three straight close wins.

“I think that game made us stronger as a football team,” McMillen said. “I think it made us hungrier and it made us understand that we can’t go out there and expect to win. We have to work for four quarters to be able to do it.”

St. Francis responded to the loss by beating Joliet Catholic 33-28 the following week before just edging out IC Catholic 35-34 in Week 6 and St. Rita 31-28 on Friday. The Spartans played in a back-and-forth game against the Mustangs before they blocked a punt late a won the game on a last-minute field goal.

McMillen thought the Friars’ loss and a tough CCL/ESCC schedule taught his team how to compete to the end and pull out a win.

“It’s invaluable,” McMillen said. “It’s invaluable to be able to come back and play in pressure situations like that. The kids understanding not to panic, not to overplay, to go out there and do the little things correctly.”

McMillen is still looking for a complete game from his team. Quarterback Alessio Milivojevic has been of the state’s best quarterbacks this season but McMillen felt like the Spartans have played in spurts, which has led to some closer game than he would’ve liked.

“I think that game made us stronger as a football team. I think it made us hungrier and it made us understand that we can’t go out there and expect to win. We have to work for four quarters to be able to do it.”

—  Bob McMillen, St. Francis head coach

St. Francis enters its matchup against Leo on Saturday at 5-2 before finishing the regular season on the road against Nazareth. With a playoff berth likely locked, McMillen is looking for his team to continue to apply what it learned during a critical three-game stretch.

“We’ve got to be able to put all three phases of the game together and play with more consistency, not rely on one side or the other,” McMillen said. “Just go out there and play true team football because playoffs are going to be tough.”

Full-team effort for Carmel

Carmel is off to its best start since 2010 and coach Jason McKie is encouraged that the Corsairs haven’t reached their full potential yet.

At 6-1, Carmel has played its best football since 2010 when it started the season 8-0 and reached the Class 7A quarterfinals.

“That’s the encouraging part: To have the type of results of the season we’ve had thus far and we haven’t played a complete game,” McKie said. “That’s the encouraging part.”

Carmel’s six wins came against Crete-Monee, Lake Forest, DePaul Prep, Marmion, St. Viator and Providence, who have a combined record of 22-20. The Corsairs’ lone loss was a 37-16 defeat against Mount Carmel, who is 7-0.

McKie was encouraged that everyone has been involved in Carmel’s success but isn’t looking too far ahead with a playoff berth locked.

“The main thing right now is Notre Dame this Friday,” McKie said. “I don’t look at rankings stuff like that. We take care of our business one game, one play, one practice at a time, then everything else will take care of itself.”

Ramblers’ depth gets playing time

Loyola’s backup players gained some solid game experience Friday in the Ramblers’ 47-0 win over IC Catholic.

“It was a good opportunity to get all 90 guys, guys that hadn’t had a chance or a lot of opportunities,” Loyola coach Beau Desherow said. “They work just as hard as everyone else. It was nice to get them on the field and get them some playing experience.”

The Ramblers ran out to a 28-0 lead after one quarter and led 35-0 at the half. Many of Loyola’s backups played the entire second half and earned a chance to earn varsity snaps.

“It’s a good learning moment for all those guys,” Loyola quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald said. “They worked their [butts] off on scout team and it’s tough being the scout guy in high school. They put the work in every single day.”

What could’ve been for IC Catholic

IC Catholic coach Bill Krefft was disappointed he couldn’t play many of his playmakers against the Ramblers because of various injuries and a flu going around the team. He said the players were looking forward to the opportunity.

“It’s brutal for us not to have a chance to have everyone at full capacity,” Krefft said. “That’s the situation we’re put in right now. The rivalry game was going to be the 8A state champs and the 3A state champs. The school with 2,200 kids that recruits and the school with 350 kids that recruits. Our varsity roster is 32 kids, we were down nine. To say that was going to be the game of the week was incredible anyways.”

Vikings’ historic season

St. Laurence continued to build upon a resurgent season by winning its sixth game in the regular season by taking down Marmion 31-6 on Friday. It’s the first time the Vikings have won six games during the regular season since 2017 when they ended the season at 6-3.

St. Laurence will try to add a couple more wins, with a Week 8 matchup set against St. Rita on Friday and Week 9 date with Montini.

The Vikings last won seven games during a regular season in 2015 when they ended the year 7-2.