CN100 Game of the Week preview: Football Week 7 - DePaul College Prep vs. Loyola Academy

IHSA Football Week 7 – DePaul College Prep vs. Loyola Academy

WILMETTE – Loyola has been close to winning its second state title in program history a few times during former NFL linebacker John Holecek’s 10-year run as head coach.
This year’s edition is off to a start that have the Ramblers feeling like this could be their year.
Loyola hosts DePaul College Prep on Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in a game that will be broadcast by CN100 at Noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 11, and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 13. You can also see it anytime in HD with Xfinity On Demand.
The Ramblers (6-0, 2-0 Chicago Catholic Blue) have steamrolled opponents thus far this season, carrying a 232-38 point differential and a guaranteed playoff berth into Saturday’s game.
Loyola has gotten it done with a combination of rushing and passing. Senior quarterback Jonathan Clifford has been ultra-efficient, throwing for 1,122 yards, 16 touchdowns and only one interception.
He is liberal in spreading the ball around, too. Senior receiver Thomas Smart has hauled in a team-high 28 catches for 404 yards and five touchdowns. He is flanked by senior receiver Jonah Isaac (13 catches, 203 yards, two touchdowns), 6-foot-4 senior tight end Eric Eshoo (eight catches, 113 yards, three touchdowns) and junior receiver David Terrell (12 catches, 110 yards, two touchdowns).
Senior Dara Laja carries the mail in the backfield, rushing for 674 yards and 12 touchdowns in 101 carries. His junior backup, Kyle Rock, adds 180 yards and two touchdowns to the mix.
The Ramblers were 11-3 last year and have finished second in the state three times, most recently in 2013. Loyola has racked up 10 or more wins every year since 2008. Holecek picked up his 100th career win with a Week Four, 54-16 win over Fenwick.
The Ramblers have allowed only one touchdown in each of the past two games.
DePaul College Prep (5-1, 0-0 Chicago Catholic Red) is a newcomer to the mix. Formerly known as Gordon Tech, the Rams went 6-5 in their first year of existence in 2014 under Coach Bill Jeske. Their lone loss this season came at the hands of Fenwick, 38-19. Loyola beat the Friars by 38 points the week before that game. One of DePaul’s wins was a forfeit against Hales Franciscan, which brought the offensive stats of the Rams for the season down a tick.
Junior quarterback Jonathan Gladstone leads the way. He is 33-for-67 for 568 yards, with eight touchdowns and four interceptions, while adding 175 yards and three scores on the ground.
His top target in the pass game is junior running back Jahi Stigall with 11 catches for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Senior receiver Gary Anish adds nine catches for 144 yards and three touchdowns.
Junior running back Umaru Sheriff leads the team with 446 yards and six touchdowns in 58 carries.
The Rams have a number of players who play key roles on both sides of the ball. Stigall has 24 tackles and a sack from his linebacker position. Anish, a defensive back, recorded 33 tackles, five tackles for loss and an interception so far. Senior linebacker Tim Green has 33 tackles, two sacks and an interception.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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