Nazareth Academy Wins First State Championship

On Saturday, November 29, Nazareth Academy’s Roadrunner Football team finished their history-making, undefeated 2014 season with a victory over Lemont High School, winning the IHSA Class 6A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP. This is the first State Championship in any sport for Nazareth Academy.

The Championship marks the culmination of an outstanding season for the football players and coaches. The Roadrunners are also the East Suburban Catholic Conference (ESCC) Champions. The ESCC named Coach Tim Racki as Coach of the Year and bestowed multiple honors on Nazareth student athletes.

ESCC All-Conference Players:

Daniel Bakovich LB, Nolan Dean RB, Matthew Flach DB, Kevin Jackson DB, Dmitri Joe DL, Decxavier Kelly-Martin LB, John Kilcommons OL, Patrick Kilcommons OL, Julian Love DB, Michael Owens OL, Jack Shutack OL

ESSC All-Conference Selections:

Most Valuable Player - Julian Love; Most Valuable Offensive Lineman - Michael Owens; Most Valuable Defensive Lineman - Decxavier Kelly-Martin; Coach of the Year - Tim Racki

Senior Michael Owens was also named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association 2014 Class 6A First Team All-State Team.

Nazareth Academy is also proud to congratulate the 373 student athletes who represented our school in Fall 2014, producing outstanding results.

Boys Golf: Junior Matthew Clark finished 9th place overall in the IHSA Boys Golf State Tournament held at D.A. Weibring Golf Course on the campus of Illinois State University. This is the highest individual finish for a male golfer in Nazareth’s history and earned Matt All-State Honors! Matt was also an IHSA Regional medalist and an ESCC medalist along with teammate Matt Mara.

Girls Cross Country: After the team’s best-ever third place finish in the ESCC, the Lady Roadrunners advanced through IHSA post-season competition to qualify as a team for the State meet, finishing twelfth. This marks the school’s best Cross Country team finish in State competition. Three team members, Emily Beedie, Emily Eddins and Claire Ramsey, also merited ESCC medals.

Boys Cross Country: The Boys Cross Country team also boasts its best ever ESCC finish, coming in fifth. The team advanced to Sectional competition. Senior Johnny Bareis then made Nazareth history, becoming the first male runner to represent the school at State competition.

Boys Soccer: While Boys Soccer finished their season one penalty kick short of the Regional title, they have much to be proud of from this young team. Three players, Senior Goalie David Caldwell, Junior Defender Connor O’Niell and Sophomore Defender Jack Herbst, were named to the ESCC All-Conference team and Head Coach Doug Hunt was named ESCC Coach of the Year. The teams’ fourth place ESCC finish was also a record setter.

Girls Volleyball: After a strong season of play, the team emerged as ESCC Co-Champions and IHSA Regional Champions. Emma Decker, Tina Elstner and Julia Saunders were all named ESCC All-Conference, Emma for the second year in a row and Julia for the third.

Girls Golf: Nazareth congratulates three IHSA Sectional qualifiers from the Girls Golf team -- Grace Brown, Megan Heurich and Molly McAuliffe.