CN100 Game of the Week preview: CCL Football Championship - St. Rita vs. Mount Carmel

CHICAGO – One of the perks of playing in the state’s best conference, the Chicago Catholic Blue, is that if your IHSA playoff run ends, you still have a chance to get to the Prep Bowl.
Friday at 6 p.m. at Gately Stadium, Mt. Carmel and St. Rita face off in the Catholic League Championship, a game which will be broadcast by CN100 at Noon and 4 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21, and 7 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 23. You can also see it in HD any time with Xfinity On Demand. Curie and Simeon face off in the Chicago Public League final. The winners face off in the Prep Bowl next Friday.
The Caravan and the Mustangs arrive in this game under different circumstances.
Mt. Carmel (8-3) had hopes of winning its 12th state title, but when the IHSA switched the seeding from a more regional feel to a Top 32, the Caravan got a rough draw. They had to face unbeaten Glenbard West in the second round of the playoffs, and Mt. Carmel dropped a tough 7-0 decision.
That pushed the Caravan into this game. They rely on the run, and it’s a balanced unit. Senior AJ Ries has been out for a few weeks, but he rushed for 447 yards and six touchdowns before his injury. Senior AJ Lewis was his running mate with 535 yards and seven touchdowns in 92 carries. Junior Michael Kennedy stepped up in Ries’ stead with 564 yards and eight touchdowns in 66 carries.
Senior quarterback Anthony Thompson also contributes to the run game with 279 yards and four scores, while going throwing 74-for-127 for 827 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions.
Senior Steve Wirtel is Thompson’s top target, catching 25 passes for 304 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Jake Lenti has 20 catches for 240 yards and a score. Sophomore Alek Thomas provides a change-of-pace with 18 catches for 235 yards and a touchdown. He is also the team’s kick and punt returner, taking a punt to the house this season.
Mt. Carmel’s defense is led by its linebacking corps with senior Mark Mudd posting 28 tackles for loss. Senior Patrick O’Shea contributed 63 tackles and senior Andrew Guerra recorded 56 tackles and 11 tackles for loss. Also supporting the cause were senior Kevin Kurasz with 12 tackles for loss and junior Jordan Cousert and his three interceptions.
St. Rita (5-6) has new life thanks to the chance to play for the Prep Bowl. The Mustangs had reached the playoffs in 15 of the past 16 seasons before missing out this year. St. Rita went 0-4 in the Chicago Catholic Blue, including a 35-14 loss to Mt. Carmel in Week 4. The Mustangs beat DeLaSalle (38-24) and St. Ignatius (35-21) after the regular season to qualify for this game.
“I believe we are playing much better now than we were in the beginning of the season,” St. Rita coach Todd Kuska said. “We have been fairly healthy for the past few weeks and that has helped our play.”
The late-season run has coincided with the rise of junior running back Shaun Rule. He’s only played the last five games, but he already has 655 yards and 14 touchdowns in 87 carries. Senior Brandon Williams flanks him with 80 carries for 496 yards and six touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Connor Kelly has thrown for 658 yards, four touchdowns and seven interceptions, while rushing for five scores. Senior receiver Kurt Zeiger (33 catches, 359 yards) and junior tight end Tim Zaleski (20 catches, 277 yards) are Kelly’s main targets.
Defensively, linebackers Sean Coghlan (62 tackles), Liam Kelly (63 tackles) and Mike Tiernan (75 tackles, two interceptions) and DB Luke Bechina (58 tackles, 3 INT) lead the defense.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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