Joliet Catholic hopes tough schedule has prepared it for postseason

JOLIET – There is no question the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference is one of the toughest, if not the toughest, football conference in the state. Fourteen of the 24 teams in the league qualified for the IHSA playoffs this season.

Joliet Catholic Academy, which possess a state-record 14 state championships, is one of those playoff-qualifying teams, and the Hilltoppers (6-3) begin their quest for a 15th title Friday night. Through the course of the season, JCA played four teams that qualified for the IHSA playoffs. Their season-opening opponent, Iowa City, also went 6-3 on the season and is in the Iowa playoffs in Class 5A, that state’s highest division.

That type of week-in, week-out challenge is something JCA coach Jake Jaworski hopes has his team prepared for their Class 5A playoff opener at Peoria High.

“We play a tough schedule,” Jaworski said. “There isn’t much we haven’t seen as far as athleticism and physicality. Playing the teams we play in our conference should have us pretty well battle-tested for the playoffs.”

The Hilltoppers will have to be prepared to take on Peoria. The Lions go full speed, all the time. They have scored 496 points in going 7-2, losing only to 9-0 Rochester (40-14) and 9-0 Normal Community (63-42). Their two losses represent their two lowest-scoring games of the season. It will be a challenge for such players as defensive lineman Dillan Johnson, a Wisconsin commit.

“Peoria has a good team, and they’ve had a lot of success,” Jaworski said. “They definitely put up points. They scored 92 in one game this season [against Urbana]. They’ve had a long list of great players, and they have a lot of them again. They love to get their playmakers in space.

“They will mix it up on offense. They had a good running back that’s a tough kid. I’ve heard him described as a bowling ball, and he looks like that on film. They are big up front, going about 280-290 [pounds] across the line, and they have three or four receivers who can all catch the ball and make plays. The quarterback lets the ball go and lets his receivers make plays.

“I would say that the team they are most like that we have played recently is Crete-Monee. They are up-tempo and like to create chaos. They like to go for two after touchdowns, and they will onside kick at any time. On defense, it’s like a punt rush, with all the players up at the line of scrimmage, and you don’t know who’s coming and who’s dropping back.

“It’s definitely a challenge in all three phases of the game.”

Jaworski feels his team is ready, both mentally and physically, for the challenges of the 5A bracket, which include such historical powers as Nazareth Academy, Prairie Ridge, Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, Morris, Providence Catholic and Sycamore along with Peoria.

“Our kids are ready for it,” he said. “I love this group. They are able to handle both success and defeat well. They love a challenge like this. They work hard and compete every game.

“We are in good health as far as injuries go. Like most schools at this time of year, with the weather changing and all that, we have our share of colds and flus, but we are getting over those. On the injury front, we are all good, so we feel good about that going in.”

“Our kids are ready for it. I love this group. They are able to handle both success and defeat well. They love a challenge like this.”

—  Jake Jaworski, Joliet Catholic football coach