Loyola vs. Marist in IHSA Class 8A Football Championship Game: What You Need to Know

It has been more than a century since the White Sox and Cubs faced off for the ultimate prize in Major League Baseball, but bragging rights between the south side and north side of Chicago will be on the line this weekend as two private schools do battle for the IHSA Class 8A state football championship.

Loyola Academy in Wilmette and Marist High School in Chicago’s Mount Greenwood neighborhood will compete for the championship Saturday at Northern Illinois University’s Huskie Stadium beginning at 7 p.m.

While both teams have won four playoff games to advance to this point, the season tales for these two squads have been polar opposites. One a dominant force all year long and the other a scrappy team that got hot when it really mattered.

Loyola steamrolled through the regular season at 9-0 and outscored its first two playoff opponents by a combined score of 80-0. The Ramblers have been unbeatable all year, although they are coming off a narrow two-point triumph over Palatine in the state semifinal.

Marist, on the other hand, has been far from perfect. The RedHawks were 5-4 during the regular season and had to be selected as an at-large playoff team since they failed to reach the 6-win plateau required for an automatic berth. But in the playoffs, they have come to life winning all four games. Victories have been narrow, however, with three wins by a field goal and then a 5-point win over Aurora (Waubonsie Valley) in last week’s semifinal.

There’s no doubt Loyola is favored in this game. But sports historians can cite several examples as why never to count out an underdog in a championship game.

Season Records

Loyola Academy is 13-0 this season and earned the No. 1 seed heading into the IHSA playoffs. Marist is 9-4 on the season.

Team Captains

Marist: Dennis Dickman, Brent Holder, Darshon McCullough, Brendan Skalitzky, Taylor Weaver. Loyola: Sam Badovinac, Emmett Clifford, Bobby Desherow, Dara Laja.

How They Got Here

Loyola won playoff games against Aurora (West Aurora) 31-0, Lincolnshire (Stevenson) 49-0, Homewood-Flossmoor 34-28 and Palatine 24-22.

Marist was a winner over Niles (Notre Dame) 17-14, Barrington 59-56, Oswego 38-35 and Aurora (Waubonsie Valley) 31-16.

Last State Title

Loyola last won an IHSA football title in 1993. Marist has never won a state football title, but finished as a runner-up in 1986 and 2009.

Game Time

The Redhawks and Ramblers are scheduled to kickoff at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 28 at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb. The game will be the eighth and final of the IHSA state football championship games scheduled for Friday and Saturday.

On The Air

Comcast SportsNet (CSN) will televise the game live, beginning at 7 p.m. Saturday. The game will also stream live on CSNChicago.com. Dave Bernhard, Hub Arkush and Kelly Crull will be on the call.