Seven points separate Loyola and York in Saturday rematch

Loyola and York collide this Saturday afternoon in Wilmette, a contest defined by a 21-point margin of victory that separated the teams in their 2024 Class 8A state championship meeting. The Ramblers defeated the Dukes 35-14 in that final, capping a three-year streak where Loyola eliminated York in the postseason. The two programs met in the 2023 semifinals, with Loyola winning 23-14, and in the 2022 semifinals, where the Ramblers scored 30 points to York’s three.

Both teams entered this year’s playoffs with first-round upsets that ended their recent momentum. York lost to Lyons 24-21, while Loyola saw its run of three consecutive titles halted by a 21-17 defeat against Mount Carmel. Saturday’s game in Wilmette offers a chance for either side to reset their playoff record against a familiar opponent.

In another Class 8A matchup, St. Ignatius faces Maine South, two of the division’s highest-scoring offenses. The Wolfpack average 40.3 points per game and have scored at least 50 points in five games this fall, including a 55-7 victory over West Aurora. Maine South, coached by Dave Inserra, averages 46.7 points per game and has won nine consecutive games. The Hawks feature Indiana quarterback commit Jameson Purcell and Syracuse linebacker commit Matthew Schlenhardt, both projected as Division I recruits in 2027.

St. Ignatius seeks its first quarterfinal berth since 2023. Maine South’s defense allows significantly fewer points than its offense generates, creating a mismatch in scoring efficiency that could define the game’s tempo.

Batavia and Brother Rice meet in Class 7A, bringing seven Division I offensive commitments to the field. Batavia has four: quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren, tight end Thomas Prescott, wide receiver Darin Ashiru, and wide receiver Brennon Zeng. Brother Rice has three: offensive linemen Carlos Rios and Ethan Posey, and running back Jameson Davis. The Crusaders average 44.1 points per game following a 48-7 win over St. Charles North. Batavia, at 40.1 points per game in coach Dennis Piron’s final season, defeated Lincoln-Way Central 39-10 with four touchdowns from Vander Luitgaren.

In Class 4A, Morris and Montini present a defensive and offensive test. Morris has recorded four shutouts in its last five games and scores 48.2 points per game while allowing just 9.5. The Warriors held Tinley Park to zero in their first-round win. Montini, which won the Class 4A title last season, defeated Geneseo 35-12 this past weekend. Quarterback Israel Abrams, a Miami commit, rushed for three touchdowns in that game. Abrams previously threw for 280 yards and five touchdowns in a 47-27 semifinal win over Morris last season.

St. Laurence, now 5-6 after defeating Plainfield South 28-13, aims to become the first 6-6 team to reach the IHSA quarterfinals. Quarterback Noah Taylor rushed and passed for over 300 yards in the win. Linebacker Sean Rice, an Illinois commit, returned from injury to help a defense that has held opponents to 16 points or fewer in the last three games. St. Laurence is one of four CCL teams that qualified for the playoffs with a 3-6 record, the others being Marmion, Carmel, and DePaul Prep, all of whom lost in the first round.