Class 4A state championship: Jordan Anderson’s record-setting day leads JCA to 15th title

DeKALB — Jordan Anderson steamrolled Sacred Heart-Griffin for 245 yards of total offense and three touchdowns in the Class 4A State Championship game. And that was just in the first half of his record-breaking performance.

The Joliet Catholic senior’s huge night paced the Hilltoppers’ 56-27 win on Friday as they claimed their 15th state championship at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium.

Anderson ran for a 4A state-title game record 306 yards and scored four touchdowns. He also had two catches for 69 yards and a score.

“It was a great feeling,” Anderson said. “I had to leave it out there for our last game. I just left it to the hogs out there and follow them up front. ... It’s an honor to play with them.”

For those hogs, the feeling is mutual.

“We’re the best O-line in the nation,” Josh Jones said. “It’s a solid collective effort.”

The Hilltoppers (14-0) outgained the Cyclones (12-2) 468-11 on the ground and 563-221 in total offense.

Sacred Heart-Griffin jumped out to a 6-0 lead when DeAndre Stewart returned the opening kickoff 99 yards. But Anderson and the Hilltoppers answered with a long drive capped with a 2-yard bulldozer of a run by the Illinois commit for a 7-6 lead.

After JCA forced a three-and-out, Jake Fieldman hauled in an 8-yard pass from Aidan Voss to extend the Hilltoppers’ lead, and then Anderson rumbled 35 yards for a touchdown to give JCA a 20-6 lead with 9:36 left in the second quarter.

That’s when turnovers started to plague the Cyclones. JCA’s Ian Williams came up with an interception, setting up a deep pass from Voss to Anderson, who was left uncovered on the play and hauled in the 32-yard TD for a 28-6 lead with 4:31 left in the second quarter.

The Cyclones fumbled on their next drive, leading to a 2-yard run by Vinny Iannantone to stake the Hilltoppers to a 35-6 lead just before the break.

“It’s all thanks to the hogs,” said Iannantone, who had 127 yards rushing and two scores. “Those guys push and do what they have to and that’s why Jordan and I are so successful.”

Sacred Heart-Griffin did get one back before half. Quarterback Ty Lott marched the Cyclones 64 yards in three plays. Lott found Madixx Morris with 0:44 left to get within 35-13.

To start the second half, Tommy Thomas recovered an onside kick for Sacred-Heart Griffin, and the Cyclones needed just three plays for Lott to find KeShon Singleton for a 30-yard touchdown pass, getting to within 35-20 less than 2 minutes into the second half.

As fast as the Cyclones scored, the Hilltoppers answered with a long, sustained drive that ate up more than 7 minutes, capped with a 2-yard plunge by Iannantone to push the lead back to 42-20. Anderson added a fourth-quarter touchdown run of 26 yards, putting him over the record.

Morris and Lott connected against with 5:27 left to make the score 49-27. Anderson answered back with his fifth touchdown 2 minutes later to build the lead back to 56-27.

“They’ve been working toward this since they were freshman,” JCA coach Jake Jaworski said. “To be able to sit here now is special. It’s very humbling. We’re very blessed.”

Lott finished 14 of 23 for 210 yards and three touchdowns. Morris had five catches for 105 yards and two scores.