Drake Skleba for Joliet Catholic Academy

November 24, 2018 Memorial Stadium University of Illinois

Led by Vinny Iannantone’s “Big Bro” Nick (JCA ’19), the Hilltoppers ended a five-game losing streak to Montini, defeating the Broncos 35-27, for the 2018 IHSA Class 5A State Football Championship.

Nick Iannantone, had a IHSA Class 5A State Championship record 40 carries, for 318 yards and three touchdowns. Hilltopper legendary running back, Keenan Hailey (JCA ’19) ran for 96 yards and two touchdowns on a injured leg, leading the Hilltoppers to their IHSA-record 14th State Football Championship.

The five-game losing streak to the Broncos, included a 70-45 defeat in the 2011 IHSA Class 5A State Football Championship. In that game, the Hilltopper All-American running back Ty Isaac, rushed for a Class 5A State Championship game record 515 yards, with six touchdowns.

Hailey (2,737 yards, ’18) and Isaac (2,733 yards, ’11) are 1-2, in single-season rushing marks, in JCA football history.

“The Drive for 15”

On Friday night at 7:30 p.m., the top-ranked Hilltoppers (8-0,2-0) will travel to Lombard, to tackle the Broncos of Montini (3-5,1-1) in a Chicago Catholic League-East Suburban Catholic Conference finale. With a win, the Hilltoppers will be outright CCL-ESCC Orange Champions.

Next man up. Hilltopper junior quarterback T.J. Schlageter.

Schlageter, entered Friday’s CCL-ESCC crossover with Benet Academy, replacing the injured Hillltopper starting quarterback Aidan Voss, trailing 13-0. Schlageter completed five of his eight passes for 102 yards and touchdown, to rally the Hilltoppers past the Redwings 42-20. Schlageter also had a five-yard rushing touchdown,

Schlageter has thrown for 171 yards and two touchdowns, for “The Hill.” the season.

Voss has completed 31 of 59 of his passes, for 666 yards and eight touchdowns; the dual-threat quarterback has four rushing touchdowns on the season.

Senior wide receiver, Jake Fieldman has 18 receptions for 442 yards and eight touchdown receptions. Fieldman’s 65-yard punt punt return touchdown finished off the feisty Redwings on Friday.

“The Hogs” continue to pave the way for ‘The Deadly Duo”, senior running backs Vinny Iannantone and All-American Jordan Anderson.

Iannantone has rumbled for 1,220 yards with 13 touchdowns. Anderson has rushed for 632 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 62 carries.

Fullback Ryan Louthan has over 300 yards rushing and receiving, adding two touchdowns.

The Hilltopper defensive line is anchored by juniors Jeremy Johnson and Billy Burke. All-State linebacker Michael Rouse, anchors the linebacker corp. Senior Niko Wilhelm, stepped up into injured All-State linebacker Robby Purchase III’s position and played well at Benet.

All-State defensive back Malachi Hood is joined by senior Ian Williams and junior Tajhaun McClellan, as anti-air game, gunners.

“Mr. Automatic”, Hilltopper sophomore place-kicker, Pat Durkin. has converted on 43 of his 47 point-after-attempts, including the last 14 in a row.

The 3-5 Broncos are averaging 18.8 points-per-game and allowing 23.3 ppg.
The Hilltoppers are averaging 44.4 ppg and allowing 17.9 ppg

Common Opponents

The Broncos fell to ESCC-CCL Orange foe St. Laurence, 21-13 and defeated Providence 28-3.
The Hilltoppers defeated St. Laurence 41-7 and Providence 42-0, in their two CCL-ESCC Orange contests.

ASSOCIATED PRESS CLASS 4A STATE FOOTBALL RANKINGS
1. JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY (12) 8-0
2. SPRINGFIELD SACRED HEART-GRIFFIN 7-1
3. RICHMOND-BURTON 8-0
4. KEWANEE 8-0
5. GENOA-KINGSTON 7-1
6. CHICAGO PHILLIPS 6-2
7. WHEATON ST. FRANCIS 6-2
8. PEORIA NOTRE DAME 6-2
9. STILLMAN VALLEY 7-1
10. BREESE CENTRAL 7-1

TOP ILLINOIS OFFENSES
1. Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 7-1 51.7 ppg
2. East St. Louis 7-1 50.5 ppg
3. Crete-Monee 6-2 49.8 ppg
4. Athens 7-1 48.0 ppg
5. Decatur St. Teresa 8-0 46.5 ppg
6. Mascoutah 7-1 46.1 ppg
7. Pana 8-0 45.3 ppg
8. Normal Community 8-0 45.2 ppg
9. Brother Rice 6-2 45.1 ppg
10. South Elgin 8-0 45.0 ppg
11. Fairfield 7-1 44.8 ppg
12. Rochester 7-1 44.5 ppg
12. Farmington 8-0 44.5 ppg
14. JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY 8-0 44.4 ppg

TOP ILLINOIS DEFENSES
1. Gurnee Warren 7-1 1.6 ppg
2. Mount Carmel (ILL) 8-0 2.8 ppg
3. South Elgin 8-0 3.7 ppg
4. St. Ignatius 8-0 5.5 ppg
5. Lockport 7-1 5.8 ppg
6, Downs Tri-Valley 8-0 6.8 ppg
7. Decatur St. Teresa 8-0 7.1 ppg
8. Fairfield 7-1 7.5 ppg
9. Paris 8-0 7.8 ppg
10. Lemont 8-0 8.0 ppg
JOLIET CATHOLIC ACADEMY 8-0 17.9 ppg