Benet returns to playoffs in ‘great way’ after capturing Purple title: Week 9 CCL/ESCC notes

The playoffs started Friday for Benet in its regular-season finale against DePaul Prep. Although the Redwings had already secured their first trip to the playoffs since 2019 earlier in the season, Benet wanted to win the Purple division crown and looked to build momentum after back-to-back losses to Fenwick and Nazareth, respectively.

The Redwings did exactly that, making key plays to beat DePaul 31-24, capturing their first division crown since the CCL/ESCC formed in 2019.

“Getting that win and the championship was a great way to enter the playoffs,” Benet coach Patrick New said. “Our guys are really fired up about it.”

Different Redwings contributed to the championship. Both senior Marty Radgowski and junior Jack Clevenger each returned interceptions for touchdowns while junior Luke Doyle ran in an 80-yard touchdown.

New was concerned that Benet was content with returning to the playoffs with a 5-1 start to the season. But after learning from tough losses to Mount Carmel (6-3), Fenwick (7-2) and Nazareth (7-2), New was proud to see his team step up.

“I felt like they elevated their game,” New said. “They realized the importance of it and played harder, played with more spirit.”

Benet will turn its attention to trying to win its first playoff game since 2017 when it reached the Class 7A semifinals. The Redwings will continue their momentum when they play Perspectives Leadership on Friday.

“We’re treating each game like it’s an individual season,” “We know that if we don’t take care of business, our season ends. Our guys have taken the right approach for this game against Perspectives.”

Marmion secures spot back in playoffs

Marmion’s 20-14 win over Leo on Saturday was important for first-year coach Adam Guerra for various reasons.

Not only did the win secure the program’s first playoff berth since 2021 and the CCL/ESCC Red title, the program’s first division crown since the megaconference formed in 2019. It also showed that the Cadets’ commitment and Guerra’s vision for the program worked.

“It’s huge and it’s huge for the boys, the senior class went through a lot … " Guerra said. ”People were leaving because they didn’t think that this group of kids couldn’t get it done and they did. They are the ones out there putting their time in the practice field, in the weight room during the offseason.”

It was a full-team effort from players from every grade level. Guerra said players from each grade in the school needed to step up during different moments throughout the season, including Saturday’s win over the Lions.

Guerra credited senior leaders like Bryan Scales, Mateusz Nycz, Michael Roche, Chris Soto and Jack Young for providing the leadership Guerra needed to build his program. He’s hoping it will encourage others to follow in their footsteps.

“It just shows that it’s not going to be a multi-year rebuild,” Guerra said. “Marmion, we’re getting back on the map. We did this with a really small roster and not a lot of depth. But because of who the boys are and how they played, more pieces keep getting added and more success is going to follow.”

The Cadets earned the No. 15 seed in the Class 5A and will travel to No. 2 Rochelle on Friday. Guerra’s hoping Marmion can continue its run after winning some must-win games in order to get to this spot.

“The boys have some experience with those must-wins,” Guerra said. “We’ve got those done during the season and I’m excited to have one more on Friday.”

Loyola has ‘come a long way’

When Loyola opened the season in August with a loss to East. St. Louis, Ramblers coach Beau Desherow said the season wasn’t over by any means. He reminded reporters that his team could accomplish all of its goals still, which included winning the CCL/ESCC Blue and a third straight Class 8A state championship.

Loyola accomplished that first goal Friday, winning the Blue outright after taking down Mount Carmel. Desherow saw a transformed team from the open that opened the year with a 34-7 loss to the Flyers.

“They’ve come a long way,” Desherow said. “They came out to realize that teams aren’t just going to roll over for us because we’re Loyola Academy. We have to prepare.”

That doesn’t mean Friday’s win came easy. Loyola has had to overcome numerous injuries throughout the season, including a season-ending ACL tear for senior defensive lineman Connor Sullivan. Senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald has dealt with a nagging hamstring injury and missed Loyola’s Week 3 loss to St. Francis.

But Desherow has seen progress throughout the season. The defensive communication got better and the offensive line play has improved.

Eight weeks later, Loyola looks like the two-time defending 8A champion the state has been accustomed to seeing.

“We’re a completely different team,” senior running back Drew MacPherson said. “No guy is the same guy. We would love to have that one back. We just have to look forward.”

Mount Carmel enters playoffs looking to defend 7A title

Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch wasn’t worried about the implications a Week 9 loss could have on the Caravan’s path to try to win their third straight Class 7A state championship.

“The way the playoff system is built, we might get a better drawing out of it,” Lynch said laughing.

Had the Caravan beat the Ramblers on Friday, they likely would have earned the top 7-2 seed, which went to No. 10 St. Rita, who plays Guilford on Saturday. They would have to eventually play No. 2 Quincy in the quarterfinals had everything gone chalk.

Instead, Mount Carmel opens its defense against Harlem on Friday and could potentially see No. 3 seed St. Charles North in the second round.

No matter, who the Caravan play, Lynch was confident that his team would rebound from their Week 9 loss.

“[In Class] 7A, there’s some good teams in 7A and we’re defending champions with a target on our back, we know that,” Lynch said. “I trust in our senior leaders, I trust in the captains and I trust in myself that we’ll get this figured out.”

CCL/ESCC playoff numbers

For a second straight season, 14 CCL/ESCC teams qualified for the playoffs. It’s the second-most team to qualify for the postseason since 16 earned spots during the megaconference’s inaugural season in 2019.

Marist (8-1), Loyola (7-2), Nazareth (7-2), St. Rita (7-2), St. Francis (7-2), Fenwick (7-2), Montini (7-2), Mount Carmel (6-3), Brother Rice (6-3), Joliet Catholic (6-3), St. Laurence (6-3), Benet (6-3), DePaul Prep (6-3) and Marmion (5-4) all qualified for the playoffs. The Blue, Green and White divisions each sent three teams while the Red sent one after not a qualifying team last season.

This year’s playoff group features some new teams and is missing some regulars. Marist, Fenwick, Benet, DePaul and Marmion are all back in the playoffs after varying streaks of not qualifying for the postseason. St. Ignatius and IC Catholic both snapped eight-year playoff streaks.

There will be one CCL/ESCC showdown in the first round of the playoffs. Brother Rice and Fenwick will meet Saturday in what should be a battle between two of the top defenses in the megaconference.