JCA advances to 5A quarterfinals with dominating win over Sacred Heart-Griffin

SPRINGFIELD – All season long the Joliet Catholic football team has heard about the number of close games it has had, the three losses it has taken and the one victory by forfeit.

The Hilltoppers continued to tune that noise out week after week, knowing they were one of the most experienced playoff programs in state history. The postseason is where the Hilltoppers let their game speak.

In the second round of the Class 5A playoffs, on the road against a quality team, their game spoke about as loudly as an AC/DC concert.

JCA scored on its first four possessions, while the defense compiled seven sacks Saturday against Sacred-Heart Griffin. It all amounted to a 49-0 victory for the Hilltoppers to send them to the 5A quarterfinals.

JCA (8-3) saw three of its regular season victories come by just one possession as the Hilltoppers were rarely dominant. Their season-opening 50-22 win over Iowa City and 28-0 romp over Niles Notre Dame were their most dominant performances of the regular season.

But then came the playoffs. JCA opened the 5A postseason with a 58-6 victory over Jacksonville last week and the Hilltoppers continued rolling in the second round over the Cyclones.

“I’m so proud of our players and coaches,” JCA coach Jake Jaworski said. “This is Sacred Heart and we have a history with them. We know the success they’ve had. To be able to come out and execute makes me really proud of our guys.”

The Hilltoppers didn’t need long to put their stamp on the game. They marched 74 yards in in less than 10 plays to open the game with Larry Stringham capping off the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. The opening drive also took nearly half the first quarter, a JCA specialty.

After a three-and-out by the Cyclones, the Hilltoppers continued rolling on the offensive side. They moved the ball easily and capped off their second possession with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Lucas Simulick to Jayden Armstrong to make it 14-0 with two minutes left in the first.

A failed fourth down conversion attempt by SHG gave the Hilltoppers the ball at midfield midway through the second quarter and JCA made the Cyclones pay. JCA needed five plays to move 53 yards, 21 of them on a touchdown run by Nate Magrini, who was the offensive player of the day with 148 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 12 carries.

With 4:05 left in the second quarter, the Hilltoppers continued to lay it on as the passing game, in a JCA rarity, led the Hilltoppers to the end zone a second time. Simulick hit Keegan Farnaus for a 36-yard touchdown with 4:05 left in the half to make it 28-0.

Sacred-Heart Griffin began the second half with the ball, but Daniel Rouse tipped a Cam Brinkman pass at the line and caught the ricochet for an interception. Two plays later, Magrini put forth his best run of the game with a 35-yard touchdown run with 9:53 left in the third to make it a 35-0 advantage.

With 4:18 left in the third, the game went to a running clock as Simulick threw his third touchdown pass of the day with a 3-yard score to Ryan Yurisich. That made it 42-0 JCA.

A 45-yard run by Anthony Finnegan in the fourth quarter put the ball inside the 10 and helped set up a 1-yard touchdown by Preston Coleman with 8:40 left to give the game its final score.

“The physicality of the offensive line (was huge),” Simulick said. “We were all on the same page and we were more physical than them.”

Sacred Heart Griffin finishes 6-5.

“The playoffs looked pretty bleak for us at week three” SHG coach John Allison said. “Our kids changed the culture and turned the tide because the playoffs were not looking likely. To make the playoffs and get an upset last week, I was really proud. They need to hang their hat on that.”

Next up, JCA will play Peoria in the quarterfinals. Magrini said the Hilltoppers will just need one thing to get the win next week and advance to the semifinals.

“Hard work,” Magrini said. “Hard work, that’s it.”