2021 fall preview: Scouting the CCL/ESCC Blue division

Marist's Dontrell Jackson Jr. looks for a receiver as the Loyola Academy Ramblers faced the Marist RedHawks on Friday, April 23, 2021 at Red & White Stadium in Chicago, IL. Loyola won 43-14.
Brother Rice

2021 spring record: 4-2, 1-2 Blue

Coach: Brian Badke

Worth noting: Brother Rice senior QB Jack Lausch will play both football and baseball next year at Notre Dame. Lausch had numerous big-time college baseball offers, but when a preferred walk-on opportunity at Notre Dame also materialized, he jumped at the chance to play both. ... Lausch (6-3, 195) is one of seven Brother Rice players who made the All-Blue division team in the spring. Unfortunately for the Crusaders, he is the only one who wasn’t a senior. ... TE Henry Boyer (6-6, 250) committed to Illinois in April. He is a sizable target for Lausch. ... Junior RB/DB Khary Shaw saw some playing time at running back in the spring. He has several Division I offers to play defensive back. ... Junior defensive lineman Roderick Pierce (6-3, 265) already has Division I college offers coming in. ... Brother Rice has been to the Class 8A quarterfinals or beyond in five of the past six postseasons.

Loyola

2021 spring record: 6-0, 3-0 Blue

Coach: John Holecek

Worth noting: Loyola had one of the most experienced teams in the state last season, with more than a dozen returning starters from 2019. It showed on the field, too, as the Ramblers ran through their schedule with a perfect 6-0 record. They were undoubtedly among the best teams in the state. ... Junior QB Jake Stearney will likely step into the starting quarterback job. He saw some playing time this spring when games were out of hand late in the second half. ... Senior RB Marco Maldonado was a key contributor in the spring, playing behind workhorse Vaughn Pemberton. With Pemberton off to Ball State, Maldonado should play an even bigger role in 2021. He is a threat both running the ball and receiving out of the backfield. ... Junior WR Roger Simon emerged last season as a contributor and could take on a bigger role. ... Defensively, nose tackle Mike Williams (6-2, 230) is going to be a load for offensive lines to handle.

Marist

2021 spring record: 4-2, 1-2 Blue

Coach: Ron Dawczak

Worth noting: In the last two seasons with a playoff, 2018 and 2019, Marist lost in the Class 8A semifinals. This RedHawks program keeps reloading. The 2021 spring team was solid as well, it’s only losses coming by three points to Mount Carmel and against undefeated Loyola. ... Senior QB Dontrell Jackson is committed to play Division I football at Coastal Carolina. He is a legitimate dual-threat quarterback, throwing for more than 1,000 yards in the spring and rushing for more than 200. He was an All-Blue division performer in the spring. ... Senior LB Jimmy Rolder is another returning All-Blue division performer. He is committed to play baseball at Illinois. He had a team-high 46 tackles in the spring. ... Senior OT Danny McGuire is committed to Northwestern and will provide a big body (6-5, 270) on the offensive line.

Mount Carmel

2021 spring record: 4-2, 1-2 Blue

Coach: Jordan Lynch

Worth noting: Mount Carmel graduated a number of key contributors from its 2019 Class 7A state championship team. Blue division offensive player of the year QB Justin Lynch is now at Temple and RB/LB Kenenna Odeluga is off to Illinois. They and the rest of the 2021 seniors helped bring Mount Carmel back to a state championship level. Now the program will be tasked with retooling. ... WR/TE/LB Joey Thompson was an All-Blue division performer as a junior last spring, as was DB J.T. Harris. Both bring experience to the defense. Thompson saw some action on offense as well. ... Senior QB Brandon Rogers is committed to play baseball at Oklahoma and is a solid all-around athlete. He played receiver in the spring. ... Senior RB Enzo De Rosa saw some action at running back while playing behind Odeluga, but should have an even bigger opportunity this season. ... A matchup with Phillips in Week 2 makes for a fun local nonconference game.

FIVE PLAYERS TO WATCH

  • Jack Lausch, Brother Rice, QB, sr.: Lausch is a dual-threat QB who can create with his arm and his legs.
  • Dontrell Jackson, Marist, QB, sr.: Jackson brings experience to the quarterback position for Marist. He’ll play at Coastal Carolina next year.
  • Marco Maldonado, Loyola, RB, sr.: Maldonado is a key returning contributors for a Loyola team that is looking to retool after graduating a lot of firepower.
  • Brandon Rogers, Mount Carmel, QB, sr.: With 4.4 40-yard dash speed, Rogers brings athleticism to the field.
  • Jimmy Rolder, Marist, LB, sr.: Rolder was a playmaker for the Marist defense in the spring. He’s a big, solid linebacker anchoring the RedHawks.

SCHEDULES

Brother RiceLoyolaMaristMount Carmel
Week 1at Hillcrest; 7 p.m., Aug. 27vs. Marquette University (Wisc.); 1:30 p.m., Aug. 28vs. Curie; 6 p.m., Aug. 27at St. Rita; 7:30 p.m., Aug. 27
Week 2at Chicago Perspectives/Leadership; 7 p.m., Sept. 3TBDvs. Richards; 6 p.m., Sept. 3vs. Phillips; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 3
Week 3vs. Benet; 6 p.m., Sept. 10vs. St. Rita; 1:30 p.m., Sept. 11vs. Nazareth; 6 p.m., Sept. 10vs. Niles Notre Dame; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 10
Week 4vs. Loyola; 6 p.m., Sept. 17at Brother Rice; 6 p.m., Sept. 17vs. Mount Carmel; 6 p.m., Sept. 17at Marist; 6 p.m., Sept. 17
Week 5at De La Salle; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24at Fenwick; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24at Marmion; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24at St. Ignatius; 7:30 p.m., Sept. 24
Week 6at Mount Carmel; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 1vs. Marist; 1:30 p.m., Oct. 2at Loyola; 1 p.m., Oct. 2vs. Brother Rice; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 1
Week 7vs. Joliet Catholic; 6 p.m., Oct. 8vs. Providence; 1:30 p.m., Oct. 9vs. Montini; 6 p.m., Oct. 8vs. St. Laurence; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 8
Week 8at Marian Catholic; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15at St. Patrick; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15at Carmel; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15at St. Viator; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 15
Week 9at Marist; 6 p.m., Oct. 22at Mount Carmel; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 22vs. Brother Rice; 6 p.m., Oct. 22vs. Loyola; 7:30 p.m., Oct. 22

FIVE CAN’T MISS MATCHUPS

Week 2 – Phillips at Mount Carmel: A South Side matchup should be a fun rematch of a 2019 Class 7A quarterfinal game.

Week 3 – Nazareth at Marist: A CCL/ESCC crossover game between two of the conference’s top teams.

Week 7 – Joliet Catholic at Brother Rice: Another big-time crossover game.

Week 9 – Brother Rice at Marist: This division will probably come down to the final week. All four teams could be in the mix.

Week 9 – Loyola at Mount Carmel: These two rarely disappoint in this powerhouse matchup.

STEVE SOUCIE’S PREDICTED FINISH

TeamRecord
Marist8-1
Loyola7-1
Brother Rice6-3
Mount Carmel6-3