By Jack Lydon
Lane Tech ran into a COVID hold that cancelled its game against Phillips schedule for Friday, April 16. Phillips coach Troy McAllister didn’t want to lose another chance to play in this abbreviated season. No. 1 ranked Loyola (5-0, 3-0) had a hole it its schedule this weekend.
“Lane cancelled on Phillips. Troy called and asked if we could schedule a game,” Loyola head football coach and former NFL player John Holecek said. Holecek quickly agreed to the unusual late afternoon Friday game for Loyola.
With its big lawn, new parking lot and tennis court, the addition to the football field, Loyola Academy has the feeling of a small college. Loyola Academy is a Chicago Catholic League powerhouse with the number one ranking. Despite being the top football program in the Chicago Public School system, Phillips (3-1, 1-0) had a tall task in front of it.
In another time, this would have been match up for the ages. As it was in August 2017, when Phillips opened its magically state championship season with a 20-14 victory over recent state champion Loyola. Could the Wildcats must the magic this time on Loyola’s home field after all the adversity of the COVID season?
Loyola got the opening kickoff and methodically moved down the field with a conservative and impressive ground attack.
“When you have Vaughn Pemberton running the ball, you can afford be conservative,” Holecek said.
“But we took our shots.”
One such shot was at the end of the Ramblers opening drive. On fourth and four at the Phillips 25-yard line, Loyola’s senior quarterback J. T. Thomas dropped back. Senior wide receiver Perrion Mcclinton ran a post and Thomas hit him at the goal line for the game’s opening score capping a 13 play, 74 yard drive that ate up over half of the first quarter.
Loyola senior kicker Nate Van zelst added an extra point giving the Ramblers a 7-0 lead.
After intercepting a pass, Loyola took over deep in Wildcat’s territory. Ramblers’ senior running back Vaughn Pemberton ran the ball in for a 16-yard touchdown. The Ramblers pushed to lead to 14-0 early in the second quarter.
Phillips was by means out of the game. With 4:18 left in the half, Loyola muffed a punt turning the ball over deep in their own end. The Wildcats moved the ball down to Loyola’s 11-yard line but could not score.
Taking over on downs and continuing their conservative game plan, the Ramblers run out the clock, happy to take the 14-point lead into the locker room.
The third quarter proved to be Phillips breaking point. After Loyola senior running back Aiden Brownlee took a reverse around end for a 26-yard touchdown. Ramblers 21, Wildcats 0.
On the next Phillips possession, the Loyola defense broke the back of the Phillips offense. Ramblers’ defensive from four, seniors Liam Conaghan, Omaru Konneh and Brandan Svets and junior Michael Williams, destroyed Phillips offensive line with three consecutive sacks. Phillips junior quarterback Tyler Turner made a tremendous player to reach the ball out of the endzone while being dragged down to avoid a safety during the third sack.
Loyola added a 39-yard field goal by standout kicker Nate Van zelst and a late touchdown pushing the score to 30-0 sealing the Ramblers victory and improving their record to 5-0 on this strange COVID season.
Loyola standing out running back Vaughn Pemberton summed up the feelings of both teams after the game.
“We don’t take any of these reps for granted. We just go out there and have fun with our brothers. James Kyle [Loyola senior tight end] gets hurt and can’t play. We all wrote [Kyle’s number] 81 on our wrists. I just appreciate it. I am just happy to be out here,” Pemberton said.
Loyola will face CCL/ESCC rival #5 Marist Redhawks at Marist for the championship of the combined leagues’ Blue Division championship.
Hope you like the photos.
