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AIPROPX ReportChicago Sun-Times · 22h ago
Michael O'Brien's Super 25 high school football rankings for Week 3
Mount Carmel’s thrilling comeback win on ESPN turned a lot of heads Friday night, but the Caravan beating a team from New Jersey doesn’t make waves in the Super 25 .
When it comes to local rankings and Illinois high school football reputation makers, the biggest moment of the season so far was Sandburg’s 35-28 win against Montini in Orland Park.
The Broncos had won 25 consecutive games and two state championships since their last loss. Miami recruit Israel Abrams is the No. 3 quarterback in the country according to 247Sports.com. And Montini is much more than just one great player. Mike Bukovsky, one of the state’s most experienced coaches, has college talent all over his roster.
Abrams played well in the defeat, finishing with 233 passing yards, but a few key turnovers did the Broncos in.
Sandburg doesn’t have a national or even a local star player. And the Eagles’ coach, Sheamus Murphy, is in just his second season at the helm. Murphy coached Back of the Yards and Eisenhower before joining Sandburg as an assistant.
Sandburg quarterback Sean Ruisz missed the season opener with an injury but shook off the rust quickly. He was 14 of 17 passing for 226 yards with a touchdown and had 14 carries for 181 yards and three touchdowns.
Ruisz connected with NIU recruit Lucas Matykiewicz eight times for 88 yards and a TD. Army recruit Quinn Durkin contributed 84 receiving yards and 43 rushing yards for the Eagles.
Sandburg upset Lincoln-Way East late last season, but the Griffins played without star quarterback Jonas Williams. There is no asterisk on this victory, and it vaults Sandburg into the top 10 and marks Murphy as one of the state’s best young coaches.
Rochester smashes Batavia
Michael Vander Luitgaren and Batavia looked like Class 7A state title contenders in a Week 1 win against visiting Maine South. But the Bulldogs’ Week 2 road trip to Rochester did not go well.
The Rockets, a Class 4A powerhouse, knocked off Batavia 44-16. Vander Luitgaren threw for 237 yards but had three interceptions.
Rochester led 27-0 in the first quarter. The Bulldogs face undefeated Glenbard North on Friday.
Steel success
Joliet Central has won just two games over the past six seasons and only three over the last seven. The Steelmen have struggled to keep their program alive the past two decades and haven’t been truly competitive since splitting from Joliet West in 2010.
After two thrilling finishes to start the season, Joliet Central is 2-0 and likely heading for its first state playoff appearance since 1976. Joliet Township, the combined athletic program of West and Central, qualified for the playoffs in 1993 and 1994.
Super 25 movement
Almost nothing in the Super 25 feels secure or well-earned yet. Loyola holds on to the top spot after a nice win in Indianapolis. Lincoln-Way East is up to No. 3 after a close victory in Kankakee.
St. Rita jumped to No. 8 after beating Glenbard West on the road, and Sandburg made the biggest leap, up from No. 23 to No. 9 after the Montini win.
York drops out after an uncompetitive loss to Nazareth, and Fremd joins after beating Lake Zurich and Glenbrook South to start the season.
Junior quarterback Will Clark is off to an excellent start replacing Johnny O’Brien for the Vikings. Clark is 34 of 51 passing for 535 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.
Michael O'Brien's SuperWeekMount Carmel’sESPNCaravanNew JerseySuperIllinoisSandburg’sMontiniOrland ParkThe Broncos
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