Coal City can’t complete comeback, DePaul Prep heading to 4A title game with 21-14 triumph

COAL CITY – After Nick Martinez scored his second touchdown of the day, a 10-yard run that put DePaul College Prep ahead by seven with 6:47 left in Saturday’s Class 4A state semifinal at Coal City, just about everyone not dressed in Rams Navy and White thought Landin Benson and the Coalers would once again tie it.

After all, the hosts had already forced two-second half ties, both on the legs of Benson.

But the Rams held strong defensively down the stretch, including an Aidan Castette sack of Coalers quarterback Zander Meents as time expired to secure a 21-14 DePaul victory that has the Rams in their first state championship game since they were known as Gordon Tech in 1980.

“It’s everything,” Rams all-state quarterback Juju Rodriguez said of Saturday’s win. “We’ve been working for the past four years for this moment, and to finally be here is just surreal.”

To get there, DePaul (10-3) had to overcome a pair of first-half turnovers, both on well-executed strips by Coalers defenders, and a missed field goal. After Rodriguez found Braden Peevy for a 50-yard bomb on the game’s first play from scrimmage, the Rams’ early momentum was punched out two plays later when Jonathan Keigher forced a DePaul fumble that Gabe McHugh recovered at the Coal City 30-yard line.

Later, on what appeared to be a 36-yard Martinez touchdown catch on a screen pass, a hustling Brody Widlowski punched the ball out from behind, with Brock Finch recovering it in the end zone.

“Those are weekly drills for us. I’m sure at some point in the season the boys got a little tired of it, but as we saw today, a great job forcing turnovers and just the heart of our kids,” Coalers head coach Francis Loughran said. “Especially Brody Widlowski punching that ball out. He very well could have given up on the play, but he busted his tail, got there, and [Martinez] probably didn’t expect anyone to come from behind like he did.”

Try as they might, the Coalers punted it back for the fourth time in the first half, giving the visitors the ball at midfield with 1:51 left in a scoreless first half. Just as it looked like the game would head to the break scoreless, Rodriguez flung a deep ball to Matthew Osterman on a third-and-27, with Osterman making a superb catch on the left sideline for a 39-yard pitch-and-catch with eight seconds left in the half. A yard from paydirt, Martinez punched it in to send the Rams to halftime with a 7-0 lead.

“He came up huge last week, he came up huge again today,” Rams head coach Mike Passarella said. “It was massive, a momentum-builder for us to be able to put those points on the board and take that lead.”

Out of the break, the Coalers did what they’ve done countless times the past three years — let their big, physical offensive line give Benson holes to churn out a consistent drive. They handed it to Benson on 12 plays of a 15-play, 88-yard drive that Benson stamped with a 5-yard touchdown that equalized things at 7-7 with 4:20 left in the third.

The Rams wasted little time, as Rodriguez found Osterman on the left sideline for another breathtaking catch, this time a 28-yarder that capped off a three-play, 67-yard drive that put the visitors back up 14-7.

The seesaw affair continued with the Coalers continuing to lean on the program’s all-time rushing leader. After recovering a sneaky onside kick attempt at their own 46, the Coalers handed it off to Benson seven straight times, the seventh breaking for a 13-yard touchdown with three seconds left in the third to tie it back at 14.

“I can’t say I’m surprised,” Loughran said of the Coalers’ ability to tie the game back up twice. “Our guys have shown great resolve all year. They were able to listen to the coaches at halftime with some adjustments and key points, and you saw a team that came out [for the second half] really motivated.

“We had a long drive, wore them down and had things clicking for us,” he added. “We just needed some stops defensively and weren’t able to get there.”

Martinez punched through for the go-ahead score from 10 yards out with 6:47 on the clock.

The Coalers converted a fourth-and-1 from their own 30 on the ensuing drive, but after a holding call negated it, punted it back to DePaul. The Rams attempted a 42-yard field goal that would have put them up two scores with 2:34 remaining, but McCue’s kick missed to the left again, giving the Coalers one last chance, taking over at their own 20 with no timeouts left.

They converted a pair of fourth downs, including a fourth-and-10 strike from Meents to Gavin Berger that went for 16 yards, but on a fourth-and-5 from the DePaul 38 and six seconds to play, Cassette’s second sack of the game secured the semifinal win.

As the Rams prepare to take on the winner of Saturday night’s late Mt. Zion or Normal U-High semifinal, the Coalers will begin to process the finality of their own 10-3 season, one that ended with their 13th straight playoff trip and the program’s first semifinal appearance since 2019. For Loughran, one of the toughest aspects of seeing their season end is seeing the three-year career for Benson, who became the program’s rushing king earlier this season, come to an end.

“It probably hasn’t hit because he’s been up on varsity the last three years,” Loughran said. “I think what’s probably the most glaring is I’ll miss having him around. He’s a great kid, a hard worker, and I’m gonna miss him in the weight room and the practice field.”

Rodriguez was 12-for-15 passing for 217 yards and a touchdown. Martinez ran for 93 yards and two scores on 19 carries. Osterman caught three passes for 77 yards and a score, while Peevy led all receivers with 127 yards on six catches.

Benson ran for 183 yards – including 139 in the second half – and two touchdowns on 36 carries. Meents was 7-for-16 passing for 80 yards. Berger had a team-high 34 yards on three catches.