Four downs: News and notes from the quarterfinals

The new Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic super conference planned for next season doesn’t have a name yet, but it could be on its way to several state titles.

Brother Rice, Marist, Loyola, Nazareth, Mount Carmel, Notre Dame, Montini and Joliet Catholic all won quarterfinals and will play in semifinals this weekend.

Loyola shut out Maine South 17-0 and Brother Rice shut out Warren 20-0. Mount Carmel’s defense held East St. Louis to a season low of 19 points.

The Flyers, considered the favorite to win Class 7A by many observers, were averaging 54 points. The Caravan is allowing just 7.5 points and held firm.

“Take away the big play,” Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch said. “That’s a team that always wants to throw deep. They live on the big play. If you make them not live on the big play and only give up four yards they’re not happy with it.”

Catholic Saturday?

The semifinal draw works out so that three of the four state title games on Nov. 24 in Champaign could feature Catholic school vs. Catholic school matchups.

The Class 8A title game could be Brother Rice or Marist against Loyola, Class 7A may feature Nazareth vs. Mount Carmel and Class 5A could see Joliet Catholic play Montini. Notre Dame is the only Catholic school remaining in Class 6A.

It that works out it would be a remarkable beginning to the Catholic Super conference era.

It’s also worth noting that Marist, Brother Rice, Mount Carmel and Richards (a semifinalist in Class 6A) largely draw from the same player pool on the city’s south side and southwest suburbs.

Batavia leaves it late, again

Batavia is unbeaten this season, but the Bulldogs have a real tendency to rely on late-game heroics.

That was the case again in the quarterfinals. Batavia trailed in the final minute against visiting Willowbrook.

Jackson Williams made a 24-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to tie the game. Northwestern recruit Michael Jansey Jr. was the hero in overtime with a 10-yard touchdown run.

The Bulldogs have won 17 consecutive games, even the Class 7A title game last season was an overtime win.

Batavia will host Nazareth in the semifinals.

Notice Nubin

Batavia’s DuKane rivals St. Charles North are also headed to a Class 7A semifinal. The North Stars will host Mount Carmel in the school’s first ever semi.

St. Charles North’s Tyler Nubin hasn’t received a ton of attention in Chicago, but the senior is one of the state’s best prospects and best high school players.

Nubin was the game-changer in the North Stars’ 21-10 win against Wheaton-Warrenville South in the quarterfinals, despite injuring his shoulder in the first half.

The Minnesota commit had four receptions for 101 yards with touchdown catches of 32 and 36 yards. Nubin sealed the victory on the ground, with three first down runs on the final drive. He finished with 11 carries for 77 yards.