Loyola Academy Defeats Brother Rice To Win State Championship

WILMETTE, IL — Loyola Academy celebrates its third state football championship in school history with a rally Tuesday after defeating Brother Rice 13-3 on Saturday night in Champaign. The Ramblers (11-3) handed the Crusaders (13-1) their first lost of the season in Class 8A IHSA football championship at Memorial Stadium. The victory capped what some Loyola players had described as a "revenge tour."

The final three games of the season featured victories over a pair of teams that had bested them in the past two title games before a rematch in the state championship against a Brother Rice team that had handed them a 35-3 drubbing in Week 4 on the way to a 3-3 record to start the season.

The Maine South Hawks had handed the Ramblers a loss in the 2016 state title game, but earlier this month they were shut out 17-0 in the state quarterfinals. The Griffins of Lincoln-Way East had been on a 26 game undefeated run, including a win over Loyola in the 2017 title game, but the Ramblers dealt them a 24-16 loss in the semifinals on Nov. 17.

As for Brother Rice: in their regular season meeting with the Crusaders, the Ramblers had been without senior quarterback Jack Fallon. But in the state final, he would complete 13 of 20 passes for 130 yards and run for another 55 yard in 17 carries. His pitch to Michael Gavric with 3:51 to go in the first half would be the only touchdown of the game.

"We had some bumps on the road," Fallon said, according to the Chicago Tribune. "We just knew that we couldn’t lose again."

Loyola Head Coach John Holecek, a former NFL linebacker and the father of three sons currently attending the school, improved to a record of 146 wins and 30 losses, as he captured his third championship after six trips to the finals in the past eight year.

Holecek admitted in a Monday interview with WGN-AM he had some doubts in the first half of the season. But he said the team treated every week like the playoffs starting in Week 6. Holecek said his first team had given up less than 15 points on defense over the final seven seven weeks of the season.

"I love the underdog role, we've been on the other side so many times and had some disappointing outings," Holecek said. He said he told his players to "just go out there and play free. Enjoy your teammates and enjoy your surroundings."

Holecek, whose name has been floated as a future college coach and who told WGN he has been offered college coaching jobs in the past, but it wasn't the right timing. ("It would have to be the perfect situation, and right now is not the time.")

"I'm responsible for a large group, so it's sweet when you can lead a team to a championship," Holecek said after the game. "They just never gave up. The commitment that we were in playoff mode since Week 7. Every week we were like, 'Our best football is tomorrow,' and they believed in it, and it's a special group."

Loyola had more than 40 seniors on the team, according to the Journal & Topics Newspapers. They dominated the second half, holding possession for 17:20 of the final 24 minutes of the game.

“We buckled down and bought in and paid attention to film and went out and executed,” said linebacker Armoni Dixon, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. He had seven tackles and one of the Ramblers' four sacks.

Brother Rice's own turnaround was remarkable. The Chicago Catholic League squad went from a 2-7 record last year to the team's first trip to the state finals since 1985. Next year, the league is due to merge with the East Suburban Catholic Conference.

Earlier: Loyola vs. Brother Rice: 2018 Season statistics and roster »

Celebration with the fans for @LoyolaAcademy #GoRamblers pic.twitter.com/nMjGBpanJ1
— Student Activities (@LAStuActivities) November 25, 2018

Coach Holecek dodged the ice bucket hardcore. But the postgame celebration hug with his son Jake, donning the number 52 jersey he wore on the very same football field, was worth it. pic.twitter.com/fg8NjCbJL4
— Michael A. Felish (@MichaelFelishJr) November 25, 2018