Nate Lang can be measured and short with his words in an interview.

It isn’t how he plays quarterback.

The IC Catholic Prep junior isn’t afraid to put the ball up and let his receivers make plays. Lang throws well on the run. He always seems to be looking downfield.

“He’s a gunslinger for sure,” Knights coach Bill Krefft said. “When things break down he does a really good job.”

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Chicago Hope Academy’s Devin Mims (11) tries to tackle IC Catholic Prep's Will Schmidt (1) during the 3A Playoff game on Saturday Nov. 1, 2025, held at Altgeld Park in Chicago. (David Toney for Shaw Local News /David Toney)

Lang was slinging it quite well Saturday.

He threw five touchdown passes – four coming during the Knights’ 35-point second quarter, to four different receivers.

IC Catholic scored touchdowns on five consecutive drives in the second quarter, and went on to a 42-13 win over Hope Academy in the Class 3A first-round game in Chicago.

Lang was 15-for-20 passing for 253 yards, 218 coming in the first half.

The Knights (7-3) shook off a slow start and scoreless first quarter to advance to host former Metro Suburban Conference rival Bishop McNamara next week.

“Second quarter we all came together as a team. Everything was clicking,” Lang said. “Sometimes that’s how the game goes. It takes a while, you don’t start off hot. We were able to pull it together and get a win.”

It helps to have a target like Grant Bowen.

IC Catholic’s 6-foot-4 sophomore receiver looked like a giant against his defender, and hauled in six catches for 128 yards and TDs of 52 and 19 yards.

“Obviously he is a great player,” Lang said. “Ton of size, ton of potential. Only a sophomore.”

Lang looked to have a connection with Bowen on the second play of scrimmage. He won a jump ball for a 52-yard TD, but it was called back on an illegal man downfield penalty.

It was the start of a sluggish first quarter for both offenses. The two teams combined for six punts, and each had touchdowns called back. Hope missed a field goal.

“They jumped on us that first quarter,” Bowen said. “We underestimated them, to be honest.”

Krefft realized the challenge his team faced. He also had faith his team would figure it out.

“That’s a great football team we faced,” Krefft said. “One of the things that is underestimated is how aggressive and how physical and how athletic they are. But our guys have grit. We know we have it. Just a matter of time. Sometimes things don’t go smoothly. We found a way.”

The Knights indeed flipped a switch offensively.

Lang connected with Anthony Carroccio on a 30-yard TD with 8:54 left in the second quarter. Hope’s Josh Hallom returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a tying score, but back came the Knights with Lang’s 52-yard TD to Bowen.

Hope (8-2) pulled within a point as Jacobi Henry scampered in from 10 yards out on an option pitch, but IC Catholic scored three more times in the final three minutes and change of the half.

“I feel like we realized it’s win or go home. We’re not ready to go home,” Bowen said. “Nate Lang, he was pretty good in the second quarter. He puts it in a good spot. My teammate Will Schmidt was pretty good today too.”

Schmidt was on the receiving end of a 15-yard TD and Kc Kekstadt scored on a 29-yard TD run. Hope lost fumbles on its last two possessions of the second quarter and Lang threw a 10-yard TD pass to Quai McGee in the final minute of the half to make it 35-13.

“It’s just broken plays,” Hope coach Chris Mallette said. “The first three touchdowns were blown coverages. If you don’t cover somebody I’d expect IC guys to catch a wide-open pass and they did. Great team, great program. This game was like if we were 5-4.”

Hope’s only loss prior to Saturday came to Bishop McNamara with an offense that topped 60 points in four games. But IC Catholic held the Eagles to a season low.

Hope QB Daevion Greenberg threw for 157 yards on 11-for-32 passing.

“I thought the whole defense, specifically Foley Calcagno and Tamarion Garner did a great job of staying home,” Krefft said.

Hope, in defeat, said goodbye to its nine seniors. Mallette huddled with them at length at midfield while the underclassmen lined the exit from the field in two rows.

“That’s a tradition I started when I came to Hope. Wherever we are, we walk them off, we clap them off the field,” Mallette said. “We’re a small school, small numbers but we have a ton of heart. Winningest class in Hope history, two guys going on to play Division I football. Who is doing that on the west side of Chicago?”