Here are highlights and notes from Week 7 results around the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference.

St. Laurence gets to five wins after pivotal victory over St. Patrick

Head coach Pat Swanson emphasized to his team the importance of Friday’s game against St. Patrick. It was for good reason, as both programs were 4-2 on the season with two tough games still left on their respective schedules.

Behind an offense-by-committee approach featuring two quarterbacks, both with different skill sets, St. Laurence accounted for four passing touchdowns during its 35-19 victory over the Shamrocks. Sophomore Noah Taylor, more of a passer, completed 9 of 13 attempts for 87 yards and three scores, while senior Jimmy McDermott, a converted safety and more of a downhill runner, was 2 of 5 for 14 yards while rumbling for 55 yards on nine carries.

“Our kids had a really bad taste in their mouth from the week prior,” said Swanson, whose team fell 41-7 against Fenwick in Week 6. “We knew that St. Pat’s was a really good team that has been trending in the right direction... We play a lot of young guys. We have 11 sophomores on the varsity level right now. Our seniors, especially our captains, did a great job of grabbing them and resetting the narrative of us wanting to be a physical team that runs the ball.”

Spearheading that rushing attack was senior Cory Les, who posted a team-high 119 yards and one touchdown while adding a 9-yard scoring reception to lead the Vikings (5-2, 0-2 CCL/ESCC White) on the ground. Wide receiver Matt Williams reeled in five catches for 60 yards and two scores for the Vikings, who also capitalized on a 28-yard touchdown throw from Tyler Malinowski to Kameron McHugh. McHugh had three receptions for 39 yards.

“Cory is the life and soul of our team,” Swanson said. “Our game plan each week is to get him going and when we get him going, it opens up some throws for our receivers and some easy reads for our quarterbacks. Friday was kind of the full-circle moment where everything clicked. Cory got going and both quarterbacks were seeing throws and making the right reads. Our offensive line was changing the line of scrimmage and our wide receivers were making contested catches while getting a ton of space against the defensive backs.”

Junior linebacker Sean Rice recorded 11 tackles and was one of two players to snag interceptions to lead the St. Laurence defense, which has held teams to just 16.6 points per game this season. With the victory, St. Laurence moved one step closer to clinching an automatic playoff bid. It was a crucial victory for the Vikings, whose final two games are against Brother Rice and Montini. St. Laurence has advanced to the postseason in each of the last two years.

“It’s really easy to be a good defense when you get 11 hats to the ball on every play,” Swanson said. “If the first guy doesn’t make the tackle, then the second, third or fourth guy will. Sean stepped into a new role this year and he’s a Division I linebacker for sure. He played receiver and defensive end last year and this year, we’re playing him at tight end and inside linebacker. He’s the smartest guy on the field and he knows exactly where things are going.”

Providence stuns Loyola, moves closer to securing automatic playoff berth

Running back Broden Mackert went for 142 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, while quarterback Dom Vita passed for 151 yards and a score through the air as Providence knocked off three-time defending 8A state champion Loyola 21-20 in a game with massive postseason implications on both sides.

Linebacker Collin Shedwill posted nine tackles, three tackles for loss and a sack to anchor the Providence defense. It’s the fifth win for the Celtics (5-2, 2-0 CCL/ESCC Orange), who are within striking distance of clinching an automatic bid and returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2023.

“Loyola’s an outstanding team, but our kids went into that game, like any other game, where their expectation was to win,” Providence coach Tyler Plantz said. “We flinched a few times and we had a couple of goofy mistakes on our first drive, but once they settled in, they played great... Defensively, they did an outstanding job, especially in the second half.”

Providence can secure its playoff bid with a victory over Marian Catholic this week. As for the Ramblers, who attempted and failed on a 2-point play at the end of the game, wins over the final two weeks will be essential. Loyola (4-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC Blue), which didn’t play a game in Week 2, will face Carmel at home before concluding divisional play against Mount Carmel.

“I think the kids are in a great spot,” Plantz said. “The goal is to go 1-0 every week, so we’re not looking anywhere past Week 8. We have a great opponent coming up in Marian Catholic. They do a great job and they have some great players. We want to make sure we put ourselves in the best position to go 1-0 this week and get to 6-2 at the end of the week.”

Underclassmen shine as IC Catholic Prep dominates against Marmion

Freshman running back Jakobe Baldwin shined for IC Catholic Prep during its dominant 57-14 win against Marmion on Friday. Baldwin rushed for 122 yards and three touchdowns on eight carries as the Knights (5-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC Green) cruised over the Cadets and inched closer to locking up a playoff spot.

Currently the No. 2 ranked team in 3A, IC Catholic Prep is eyeing a return to the postseason after finishing 4-5 and missing the playoffs last year. Young players have stepped up for the Knights all season long and that didn’t change on Friday, as freshmen Mason Spillone, Colton Talluto and Donnel Sallis posted a combined 14 tackles in the win. Quarterback Nate Lang was flawless from the pocket, going 6 of 6 for 77 yards and accounting for two touchdowns.

“The last time we’ve had this level of excitement was 2022 with the state championship,” IC Catholic coach Bill Krefft said. “We’re back in our old mode and our goal is to win each day. I told the kids the other day that five wins doesn’t necessarily guarantee us a playoff spot. Six wins are what really clinch a playoff berth in the state of Illinois, so that’s our goal this week.”

Sophomores Johanye Andrew (interception) and Landon West (fumble recovery) each accounted for turnovers to aid the IC Catholic Prep defense against Marmion. The Knights can secure a playoff spot with a win against defending 4A state champion DePaul Prep later this week. IC Catholic Prep remains firmly in the race for the Green Division title as well, but the Knights must win their Week 9 finale against St. Rita to stay in contention.

“There’s been great growth,” said Krefft, who credited junior center Anthony Sebastian as a leader on a young offensive line that includes two sophomores. “We have so much more to gain and Anthony has been a strong point... As much as he’s been the staple, there’s a lot of growth being made and we’re proud of that. We’re getting better and there are still worlds to go for us.”

St. Francis seeking consistency after victory over Marian Catholic

Currently the No. 4 ranked team in 5A, St. Francis has shown its explosive potential in all three phases throughout the season. Molding that potential into consistent results will be the task for head coach Bob McMillen and the Spartans as they march toward their division finale and a possible playoff bid.

St. Francis (5-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC Green) racked up 400 yards of offense in its 42-20 victory against Marian Catholic on Friday. Senior quarterback Brock Phillip was 11 of 17 for 196 yards and three touchdowns, while running back Tivias Caldwell Jr. carried the ball nine times for 128 yards and a touchdown. A pair of turnovers prevented the Spartans from doing even more damage.

“I don’t think we’ve played our best football yet,” McMillen said. “We’ve been up and down all year and we’ve showed flashes of being really good, but we’ve shown opposite flashes where guys aren’t in the right spots and guys aren’t making plays. We have two more weeks to figure it out and it was a good win against Marian Catholic, who played really well. The boys responded well, but we have tough opponents in DePaul Prep and Nazareth coming up.”

Senior wide receivers Zach Washington (Michigan State recruit) and Dario Milivojevic (Southern Illinois recruit) teamed up for 165 yards and three scores on 10 catches for the St. Francis offense. The Spartans, who are still in the Green Division title race despite a loss against IC Catholic Prep, can lock up an automatic playoff berth with a win over DePaul Prep this week. A victory against Nazareth would mean at least a share of the division crown.

“We just have to continue polishing it up,” McMillen said. “We’re still missing some open receivers and our run game has to get better. On the defensive side of things, it’s like a jigsaw puzzle. We’re moving pieces around. We have guys who’re dinged up, guys who aren’t playing well and we’re trying to figure out who our best linebackers are. Our special teams have been up and down all year. We have a lot of things to polish up in the next couple weeks.”

Brother Rice locks in playoff bid with lopsided win over Niles Notre Dame

Quarterbacks C.J. Gray and Rocco Galasso combined for 306 yards and six touchdown passes, while wide receiver and SDSU recruit Jovan Green Jr. hauled in seven catches for 111 yards and three scores as Brother Rice cruised over Niles Notre Dame 52-14 to lock up an automatic playoff bid.

Gray, an Army recruit, was practically perfect from the pocket, completing 13 of 14 passes for 178 yards and three touchdowns. Galasso went 13 for 16 and threw for 128 yards and three touchdowns to aid the Crusaders (6-1, 1-1 CCL/ESCC Blue). Brother Rice, the No. 1 ranked team in 7A, will need a win over St. Ignatius and a Mount Carmel loss in Week 9 to share the division title.

Trae Taylor’s brilliance continues as Carmel coasts over DePaul Prep

Nebraska recruit Trae Taylor went 24 for 30, posting 431 passing yards and four touchdowns as Carmel (5-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC White) cruised to a win over DePaul Prep 54-14 on Friday. The junior quarterback added 52 rushing yards and a score on seven carries for the Corsairs, who are in sight of the playoffs.

Sophomore running backs Jorden Moore and Jaquel Edmonds united for 204 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 15 carries Friday night. Wide receiver Eli Jackson went for 125 yards and a touchdown on five catches, while fellow receiver and UMass recruit Kai Owens caught five passes for 106 yards. Greg Bess-Henning and Kyron Hart added receiving touchdowns in the victory.

St. Rita rolls over Leo, remains in playoff hunt with two weeks left

Senior quarterback Steven Armbruster accounted for 105 total yards and four touchdowns, three passing and one rushing, as St. Rita (3-4, 0-2 CCL/ESCC Green) crushed Leo 55-7 to stay in the hunt for a potential playoff berth.

The Mustangs compiled over 300 yards of offense and scored eight times, four times on the ground and four times through the air. Wide receiver Langston Smith accounted for two touchdowns, while running backs Damon Sutton Jr. and Brandon Johnson Jr. each scored in the win. Donovan Evans, Vinny Stubitsch and Darrion McElrath-Bey all caught touchdown passes.

Mount Carmel, Montini remain undefeated with Week 7 victories

Two top-ranked CCL/ESCC teams continued their perfect seasons over the weekend. Mount Carmel (No. 1 in 8A) breezed past Joliet Catholic 35-7 and Montini (No. 1 in 4A) trounced St. Viator 49-3 to stay undefeated.

Emmett Dowling completed 13 passes for 329 yards and four touchdowns for the Caravan (7-0, 2-0 CCL/ESCC Blue), while Israel Abrams was 15 of 19 and threw for 232 yards and three scores for the Broncos (7-0, 2-0 CCL/ESCC White). Mount Carmel can clinch the Blue Division with a win over Loyola and Montini can take the White Division with a win over St. Laurence in Week 9.