No. 1 Hilltopper Football at Brother Rice Game Preview and Ticket/Parking Information

Joliet Catholic at Brother Rice
Friday, October 8 – 6 p.m. Kickoff
Gates Open at 5 p.m.
Tickets will only be sold at the gate.
 
 
Game Preview: No.1 Hilltoppers take on No.1 Crusaders!
Drake Skleba for Joliet Catholic Academy
 
On Friday night, the Hilltoppers of Joliet Catholic Academy will travel to the Mount Greenwood neighborhood of Chicago, for a SUPER CCL-ESCC crossover match-up, with the Crusaders of Brother Rice.
 
Joliet Catholic Academy (6-0) Associated Press Class 4A No.1
The Hilltoppers are averaging 42.8 points-per-game and they have allowed 12.3 ppg.
 
Chicago Brother Rice (5-1) Associated Press Class 7A No.1
The Crusaders are averaging 43 ppg and have allowed 21.5 ppg.
 
Common opponent:
On September 10, the Hilltoppers beat the Meteors of De La Salle 48-14.
The Crusaders, on September 24, defeated De La Salle, 44-14.
 
When the Hilltoppers have the ball
Running behind “The Hogs”, the Hilltoppers offensive line, Center Niko Paolino (6-3, 295); G Paul Ragusa (6-1, 215) T Josh Jones 6-2, 290); G Anthony Birsa (6-5, 265) and T Lucas Sartori (6-4,335), will be the “Deadly Duo” of Hilltoppers senior running backs, Jordan Anderson and Vinny Iannantone.
 
Iannantone, the Hillltoppers leading rusher, has ran for 874 yards and has scored 11 touchdowns. Anderson, who has been hampered by a nagging lower-body injury all season, returned to the lineup last Friday against St. Laurence. Anderson ran wild for 140 yards and three touchdowns against the Vikings. Anderson has rushed for 300 yards on just 27 carries and has scored six touchdowns, on the season.
 
Hilltopper senior quarterback, Aidan Voss, has only had to throw 54 passes in JCA’s first six games. Voss has completed 28 for 561 yards and seven touchdowns. Six of those touchdown strikes have gone to senior wide receiver, Jake Fieldman (13 catches, 304 yards, six TDs). Voss has also ran for three touchdowns on the year.
 
Senior fullback Ryan Louthan, hauled in the other touchdown strike, from Voss, on Friday night. Louthan, made a sensational one-hand touchdown catch, against St. Laurence!
 
Junior Justin Bonsu is also a deep threat for Voss. Bonsu’s sensational 52-yard catch, highlighted the opening Hilltopper scoring drive against St. Laurence.
 
When the Crusaders have the ball.
 
JACK LAUSCH
 
The Crusaders are led by their dual-threat All-State senior quarterback, Jack Lausch. The 6-foot-3, 215-pound Lausch, has thrown for over 1,000 yards on the season with 11 touchdowns and just one interception. Lausch has ran for over 500 yards and has nine rushing touchdowns. Lausch is the son of John Lausch, a captain and starting linebacker on the Joliet Catholic High School 1987 State Championship team.
 
Providence Catholic transfer, running back Aaron Vaughn, has ran for over 400 yards with four rushing touchdowns. Vaughn has caught two receiving touchdowns from Lausch.
 
Crusader receivers collectively, are one of the best in the state. Lausch spreads the ball around to a bevy of receivers, including senior Danny White. A Lausch to White 65-yard scoring strike with 50 seconds left last Friday, led the Crusaders past archrival Mount Carmel 43-36.
 
Junior Marty O’Keefe, senior Liam Lyons, senior Da’Kobie Wordlaw III and 6-foot-7, 250 pound All-State tight end Henry Boyer, have all hauled in touchdown passes from Lausch.
 
The Brother Rice’s offensive line averages 270 pounds.
 
Hilltoppers Defense
 
All-State defensive back Malachi Hood and senior DB, Tajhaun McClellan, anchor the solid Hilltopper secondary, with the responsibility of slowing down the “Jack Lausch Air Show”,
 
The hard-hitting All-State linebacker, Robby Purchase III, welcomes back “King Michael”, Hilltopper All-State linebacker Mike Rouse from a shoulder injury to the starting lineup. While sitting out the St. Laurence Homecoming 2021 victory, Rouse was elected Homecoming 2021 King.
 
Purchase III and Rouse plan to slow down the elusive Lausch.
 
Junior defensive end Jeremey Johnson and his mates on “The Hill’s” defensive line look to get pressure on the elusive Lausch when he drops back to pass.
 
Crusader Defense
 
The Crusader “D” is led by senior linebacker Rolando Sepulvida and All-State cornerback Damian Hall.
Their defensive line averages around 230 pounds and is very fast.
 
Outlook
 
The Hilltopper and Crusader defenses, will determine Friday night’s winner. Both defensive lines will be heavily outweighed by each team’s offensive lines. Whichever school’s “D” can get the most stops, will go a long way toward determining the winner of the game.
 
Lausch and his high-powered offense will score points on “The Hill”.
 
But we believe “The Hogs” and “The Deadly Duo”, Anderson and Iannantone, will have huge night’s, running the ball. The Hilltopper “D” will get enough stops and our Hilltoppers will improve to 7-0 and be claimed the victor of The Battle of Mount Greenwood.
 
HiIlZone arrive early!!!

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