December 26, 2024
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2024 season preview: Scouting the CCL/ESCC White division

Corsairs, Vikings, Broncos push for deeper postseason runs, Friars try to get back

By Michal Dwojak
Princeton's Casey Etheridge is pushed out of bounce by Montini Catholic's Jeremiah Peterson on Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023 at Bryant Field in Princeton.

Montini's Jeremiah Peterson tackles Princeton's Casey Etheridge during last season's Class 3A quarterfinals at Bryant Field in Princeton. Montini will try to build off last season's semifinal appearance. (Scott Anderson)

Carmel

Coach: Jason McKie

2023 record: 10-2, 3-0 (CCL/ESCC Purple champions)

Schedule: Aug. 30 at Grayslake Central; Sept. 6 Lake Forest; Sept. 13 at Providence; Sept. 20 St. Laurence; Sept. 27 Marian Catholic; Oct. 4 at Montini; Oct. 11 at DePaul Prep; Oct. 18 Loyola; Oct. 25 at Fenwick.

Worth noting: McKie has completely transformed the Corsairs program since taking over during the spring 2021 season. Carmel has gone from 1-4 during that COVID-19-shortened season to a 10-2 record with an appearance in the Class 5A quarterfinals last year. The Corsairs will try to build upon back-to-back trips to the playoffs and they have the talent to do it. Sophomore quarterback Trae Taylor will take over as the starter after splitting snaps last season. He’s already earned college scholarship offers from schools like Michigan, Ohio State, Miami, Oklahoma and Ole Miss, making him the highest-recruited Illinois quarterback prospect since J.J. McCarthy. He’ll have plenty of talent around him. Senior running back Donovan Dey comes back after being named the CCL/ESCC Purple co-Most Valuable Player. He finished with 1,411 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. Senior tight end Jack Greiber and junior wide receiver Kai Owens will join Dey as talented targets for Taylor. Senior offensive linemen Tommy Lamberti and Logan Zupancic will provide experienced protection. Senior defensive back Jordan McKie returns after earning All-CCL/ESCC honors last season while senior linebacker Dominic Delorme and senior defensive lineman Noah Jackson-Briscoe bring back experience from a defense that limited opponents to 12.1 points per game. The Corsairs will be tested this season, playing against five teams that played in the postseason last year. They’ll play a defending champion (Loyola), state finalist (St. Laurence) and two semifinalists (Providence, Montini). Carmel won its first outright division title since the CCL/ESCC formed in 2019. The Corsairs earned a share of the Purple in 2022.

Fenwick

Coach: Matt Battaglia

2023 record: 4-5, 1-2

Schedule: Aug. 31 at Oak Park-River Forest; Sept. 6 St. Ignatius; Sept. 13 at Joliet Catholic; Sept. 20 Montini; Sept. 27 De La Salle; Oct. 4 at St. Laurence; Oct. 11 at Benet; Oct. 18 Mount Carmel; Oct. 25 Carmel.

Worth noting: The Friars just missed the playoffs last year for the first time since Battaglia took over during the spring 2021 season when no postseason was held. Fenwick won the Class 5A state championship in the fall 2021 season and lost in the first round in 2022. The program has only missed the playoffs three times since 2012. Senior defensive lineman and Auburn commit Nathaniel Marshall returns as one of the top pass rushers in the nation. Marshall finished last year with 38 tackles, 16 for a loss, along with 13 quarterback hits, six sacks, four forced fumbles, four blocked kicks and earned Orange Defensive Player of the Year honors. He also added 148 receiving yards and four touchdowns. Senior linebacker Jack Paris will also return after earning All-CCL/ESCC honors last year with 68 tackles, 13 for a loss and one interception. Senior linebackers Brian Timpone and Aiden Burns, senior defensive linemen Colin Murray, Timmy Mulcahy, Patrick Gilboy and senior Henry Fluecke and junior defensive backs Tommy Theis will all bring back defensive experience. Senior Frank Hosty and junior Jamen Williams will battle for the starting quarterback position while senior running back Ninos Ammer comes back. Seniors TJ Woods, Gianni Bertacchi and Myles Morriarty and junior Logan Schultz all come back on the offensive line. The Friars will try to get back into the postseason against six teams that qualified last year. Fenwick is also looking for its first division title since the fall 2021 season.

Montini

Coach: Mike Bukovsky

2023 record: 9-4, 2-1 (CCL/ESCC White co-champions)

Schedule: Aug. 30 Hyde Park; Sept. 6 Hillcrest; Sept. 13 at Marist; Sept. 20 at Fenwick; Sept. 27 Marmion; Oct. 4 Carmel; Oct. 11 at St. Viator; Oct. 18 St. Ignatius; Oct. 25 St. Laurence.

Worth noting: The Broncos last season looked like the old Montini program fans were used to watching over the past 30 years. They returned to the playoffs for the first time since 2019, reaching the Class 3A semifinals and losing 26-20 to eventual state champion Byron. Montini will try to start another playoff streak after qualifying from 1993 to 2019. The Broncos bring back 11 players defensively and eight players on the offensive side. Senior linebackers Vince Irion and Jeremiah Peterson both come back after earning All-CCL/ESCC last year. Peterson had 120 tackles, 14 for a loss, with two interceptions and a forced fumble while Irion finished with 96 tackles, 17 for a loss, along with five sacks and two interceptions. Seniors JC Hayes and Nicky Castaldo both bring back All-CCL/ESCC experience from last season on the defensive line while Hayes will also protect on the offensive side of the ball. Senior quarterback Gaetano Carbonara returns after finishing with 2,014 yards on offense along with 16 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Santino Florio will try to build off a strong season where he earned All-CCL/ESCC honors as a junior. He finished with 588 receiving yards and eight touchdowns to help the Broncos offense average 28.5 points per game. After sharing the Green title in 2019 and the White title last season, the Broncos will try to capture their first outright title since the megaconference formed.

St. Laurence

Coach: Adam Nissen

2023 record: 10-4, 2-1 (Class 4A runner-up, CCL/ESCC White co-champions)

Schedule: Aug. 30 Noble; Sept. 6 at Evanston; Sept. 13 at Niles Notre Dame; Sept. 20 at Carmel; Sept. 27 Leo; Oct. 4 Fenwick; Oct. 11 at St. Patrick; Oct. 18 Brother Rice; Oct. 25 at Montini.

Worth noting: St. Laurence made its first trip back to the playoffs since 2019 memorable last season. The Vikings reached the Class 4A state championship, their first trip back to a state title game since 1979. The program will try to return to the playoffs for the second straight season for the first time since the Vikings made it from 2014 to 2017. There will be a lot of new faces on this year’s team. Four players return defensively while two come back on offense. Senior defensive lineman Jace Chamberlain and senior linebacker Kyle Richardson both come back after earning All-CCL/ESCC honors. They helped lead a defense that limited opponents to 18.6 points per game. Senior linebackers Jacob Bylina, Brendan Carroll and Ja’Sean Mays, senior defensive lineman Gary Coleman and junior safety Cory Les will all also bring back experience. Senior quarterback and Illinois State commit Chase Kwiatkowski transferred into the program from Lake Central, Ind. He’ll lead a new-look offense where senior Harley Rizzs will pick up at running back after being Aaron Ball’s backup last season. Senior offensive lineman Julian Garcia will bring back experience on the line after a strong season last year. The Vikings won their first share of a division crown since the megaconference first started. St. Laurence will try to win their first outright title this season.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

  • Nathaniel Marshall, Fenwick, sr., DL – One of the top rushmen in the country, Marshall should be nearly impossible to stop this season
  • Donovan Dey , Carmel, sr., RB – An elite playmaker who’s ready to build off an impressive junior season
  • Jace Chamberlain, St. Laurence, sr., DL – An experienced lineman who can use his size as a pass rusher and run stopper
  • Jeremiah Peterson, Montini, sr., LB – A dynamic tackler who should be at the end of most plays once against this season
  • Trae Taylor, Carmel, so., QB – Taylor hasn’t been a varsity starter yet but his talented arm has caught the attention of every major college program in the nation

FIVE CAN’T MISS GAMES

  • Week 2: St. Ignatius at Fenwick – These former division rivals kept their rivalry alive with an early CCL/ESCC crossover matchup. Both teams have a roster mixed with old and new, so this Week 2 matchup will not only be critical in picking up an early win against a rival but also seeing what each team can do.
  • Week 6: Carmel at Montini – These new division rivals will play for a lot in their second White game of the season. The Broncos will try to show that last season’s Class 3A semifinals appearance wasn’t a fluke by going against a talent-filled Carmel team. A win here could decide whether each team will compete for a division title.
  • Week 8: Loyola at Carmel – The Corsairs took a big step last season, losing in the Class 5A quarterfinals to eventual champion Nazareth. Carmel has a lot of talent coming back, highlighted by Taylor, but the Corsairs will get a nice test toward the end of the season against the 8A defending champion Ramblers at home.
  • Week 8: Brother Rice at St. Laurence – The final CCL/ESCC crossover of the year pins two neighboring schools in what could be the start of a new rivalry. The Vikings will try to build off last season’s Class 4A championship appearance by taking down one of the most-talented teams in the megaconference.
  • Week 9: St. Laurence at Montini – These two programs shared a White crown last season and this regular season finale could be for the outright title if each team takes care of business. Both teams made deep runs in their respective classes last season and a win here could secure a playoff spot and a higher playoff seed.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

(* - Projected playoff qualifier)

  1. Carmel*
  2. Montini*
  3. St. Laurence*
  4. Fenwick