2024 season preview: Scouting the CCL/ESCC Blue division

Brother Rice

Coach: Casey Quedenfeld

2023 record: 5-5, 1-2

Schedule: Aug. 30 Phillips; Sept. 6 Marist; Sept. 13 St. Rita; Sept. 20 at Loyola; Sept. 28 at St. Patrick; Oct. 4 Mount Carmel; Oct. 11 Niles Notre Dame; Oct. 18 at St. Laurence; Oct. 25 at St. Ignatius.

Worth noting: Brother Rice is set to take its next step with a talented roster and a healthy lineup in Quedenfeld’s third year in charge. The Crusaders reached the Class 7A quarterfinals during his first season and lost in the first round after overcoming various injuries last year. Senior linebacker Christian Pierce returns after missing most of last season with a torn ACL. Considered one of the best linebackers in the state, Pierce had 100 tackles, 11 for a loss, as a sophomore and holds offers from schools like Michigan, Ohio State, Texas and Penn State. Apart from Pierce, the Crusaders return plenty of experience in what should be a dynamic defense. Senior Charlie Stec, junior King Liggins and sophomore Brayden Parks will all cause havoc off the line while senior safety Conner Stack, senior cornerbacks Donovan Brown and Donovan Moody, junior safety Javeyon Lockett and junior cornerback Emeir White all bring back experience in the secondary. Brother Rice will return one starter from last season’s offense. Junior quarterback CJ Gray will take over as the starter and Quedenfeld was encouraged by his offseason work to be ready for the role. Senior Marian Catholic running back transfer Tyler Lofton joins the Crusaders after earning the CCL/ESCC Red Most Valuable Player award last season. Junior Jaylin Green and sophomore Jameson Davis will be key rushers. Seniors Jimmie Maxson III, Daniel White, Nick White and Kris Love junior Javon Green will all be part of a talented receiving corps. The Crusaders will try to reverse its luck in the Blue the last two seasons. Brother Rice has gone 1-5 within the division during that time.

Loyola

Coach: Beau Desherow

2023 record: 14-0, 3-0 (Class 8A state champion, CCL/ESCC Blue champions)

Schedule: Aug. 31 East St. Louis (at Illinois State); Sept. 7 at Glenbard West; Sept. 13 St. Francis; Sept. 20 Brother Rice; Sept. 27 at DePaul Prep; Oct. 4 at St. Ignatius; Oct. 12 Providence; Oct. 18 at Carmel; Oct. 25 at Mount Carmel.

Worth noting: The defending Class 8A state champions will try to win their third straight state title for the first time in program history. Loyola became the first 8A team to repeat as champions since Maine South did in 2010 and have won four state titles and appeared in four more title games since 2012. Senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald, who committed to Iowa as a preferred walk-on, comes back after throwing for 2,056 yards and 20 touchdowns on top of rushing for 634 yards and 14 touchdowns. He earned Blue Offensive Player of the Year honors last season and feels more comfortable leading the offense with a year under his belt . Loyola returns some of its top weapons that averaged 34.6 points per game last season. Iowa commit and senior running back Drew MacPherson comes back after rushing for 855 yards and nine touchdowns along with 515 receiving yards. Senior tight end and Miami (Ohio) commit Brendan Loftus and senior center Joey Herbet also bring back experience. Senior running back Luke Foster returns after missing last season because of injury while senior wide receivers Conlon Kane and Will Carlson are expected to be major targets. Senior safety and Washington commit Donovan Robinson will lead a defense with plenty of new faces. Seniors Connor Sullivan and Thomas Ghislandi and junior Kai Calcutt will be a strong presence on the defensive line while senior Charlie Daly is expected to have a big year at inside linebacker. The Ramblers will host Friday night games for the first time in school history after the installation of lights at Hoerster Field. Loyola’s schedule will feature programs that have won 41 state titles. The Ramblers will start the season against East. St. Louis at Illinois State, the first time they open the year against an Illinois team since the spring 2021 season.

Mount Carmel

Coach: Jordan Lynch

2023 record: 13-1, 2-1 (Class 7A state champion)

Schedule: Aug. 29 Hun School of Princeton (New Jersey); Sept. 6 at St. Rita; Sept. 13 Nazareth; Sept. 20 St. Ignatius; Sept. 27 Benet; Oct. 4 at Brother Rice; Oct. 11 Joliet Catholic; Oct. 18 at Fenwick; Oct. 25 Loyola.

Worth noting: Mount Carmel enters the season with a chance to win a third straight championship for the third time in program history. The Caravan won four straight titles from 1988 to 1991 and three straight from 1998 to 2000. They’ve won three state championships since Lynch took over in 2018. Vanderbilt commit and senior quarterback Jack Elliott returns after a dynamic first year as a starter. Elliott threw for 3,148 yards and 34 touchdowns while also rushing for 847 yards and seven touchdowns, earning All-CCL/ESCC honors. The Caravan will need to replace plenty of offensive talent, including 2023 Friday Night Drive Offensive Player of the Year Darrion Dupree. Senior running back Danyil Taylor Jr. will take over as the top rusher while Neuqua Valley senior transfer Cooper Lehman and sophomore Quentin Burrell will top targets for Elliott. Senior Nick Lewanski and junior Lamont Miller will return on the line. Senior linebackers Matt Mucha and Tristan Pusateri and senior safety Zander Gorman all return as senior leaders from a defense that gave up an average of 13.4 points per game. Junior defensive end Braeden Jones gained plenty of national attention over the offseason, earning offers from schools like Michigan, Ohio State, USC, Texas A&M and Florida. He’s looking to make more of a difference as a starter this season. The Caravan will face one of the toughest schedules in the state. Their opponents have won 29 IHSA state titles. Mount Carmel opens the season against the Hun School of Princeton from New Jersey.

St. Ignatius

Coach: Matt Miller

2023 record: 8-4, 3-0 (CCL/ESCC Green champions)

Schedule: Aug. 30 St. Louis University High; Sept. 6 at Fenwick; Sept. 13 IC Catholic Prep; Sept. 20 at Mount Carmel,; Sept. 27 at St. Viator; Oct. 4 Loyola; Oct. 11 Marist; Oct. 18 at Montini; Oct. 25 Brother Rice.

Worth noting: The Wolfpack moved up to the Blue for the first time in program history during their most-successful run. St. Ignatius reached the Class 6A semifinals in 2022 and the Class 8A quarterfinals last season, winning the White and Green titles, respectively. The program will try to prove it belongs in the Blue this year. St. Ignatius will try to replace the 2023 Friday Night Drive Defensive Player of the Year Justin Scott, who’s currently at the University of Miami. Scott not only dominated on the defensive line but also came in for big rushing plays. Senior quarterback Jack Wanzung returns after earning Green Player of the Year honors. He threw for 628 yards and six touchdowns on top of 1,124 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns. Senior running backs Liam Hynes and Joe Toney come back and should be critical pieces to the Wolfpacks’ triple-option offense. Senior offensive lineman Chris Morris will try to pave the way on the line. Senior defensive linemen Teddy Koeh and Brian Cronin are expected to be a strong presence on the line while senior linebackers Emmett Callahan and Hayes Mueller will be top defensive leaders. Sophomore safety Hayes Mueller will try to make an early impact. Six of the Illinois teams St. Ignatius will face competed in the playoffs last year. Two (Loyola and Mount Carmel) won state titles, one (Montini) reached the semifinals and one (IC Catholic) played in the quarterfinals.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

• Jack Elliott, Mount Carmel, sr., QB – An experienced leader of Lynch’s offense, Elliott can run the ball on top of airing it out for long gains.
• Drew MacPherson, Loyola, sr., RB – MacPherson has championship experience who’s shown that he can be a pass-catching threat on top of an elite rusher.
• Christian Pierce, Brother Rice, sr., LB – After missing most of last season, Pierce ready to prove why he’s one of the best linebackers in the state.
• Jack Wanzung, St. Ignatius, sr., QB – With a year of starting experience, should increase the Wolfpacks’ passing threat on top of the triple-option.
• Donovan Robinson, Loyola, sr., S – A talented player in the secondary, Robinson could also be a presence in the middle of the Ramblers’ defense.

FIVE CAN’T MISS GAMES

• Week 1: Loyola vs. East St. Louis (at Illinois State) – It’s hard to think of a better way to start the season than this matchup. Two of Illinois’ powerhouse programs will face each other on the site of the state championships as they look to start the season with a big nonconference win.
• Week 4: Brother Rice at Loyola – The Crusaders will try to break a five-game losing streak against the Ramblers and have a talented roster this season to try and do it. Brother Rice has started fast against Loyola the last two years and lost a tight 46-43 battle during the 2021 fall season. There’s plenty on the line in this Blue opener.
• Week 6: Mount Carmel at Brother Rice – This South Side matchup should have some pop after a down year last year when the Caravan won 42-7. Both teams feature plenty of star power on both sides of the ball and each team will want to pick up a critical division win heading into the final third of the season.
• Week 6: Loyola at St. Ignatius – The Wolfpack will look for revenge and to show that they belong in the Blue with a tough home matchup against the defending Class 8A state champion Ramblers. Loyola ended St. Ignatius’ playoff run last year in the 8A quarterfinals with a 41-7 win. Both teams will try to get through two of the toughest schedules in the state.
• Week 9: Loyola at Mount Carmel – This game has become the pseudo state championship the last couple of seasons as both the Ramblers and the Caravan have handed each other their lone losses the last two seasons. The matchup will be at Mount Carmel after being at Loyola the last couple seasons, which should make for an eclectic finale atmosphere at night.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

1. Loyola*
2. Mount Carmel*
3. Brother Rice*
4. St. Ignatius