Just finished the Dergo book on the 2005 Morris-Joliet Catholic game. That led me to think what are the best High School games I’ve seen, either in person or on tv.
My list includes plenty of Rochester games. However, I’ve got a fair number of games which did not involve the Rockets. The only game I didn’t see in person was the 2011 state title game between Montini Catholic and Joliet Catholic.
2010 Regular Season- Rochester 13 SHG 10. This was the first Leonard Bowl, Rochester’s initial season in the CS8. SHG came in with a 59 game conference winning streak. The game was at Memorial Stadium, as SHG did not yet have its own stadium. We got there 90 minutes before kickoff and there was already a huge crowd waiting to get in. This was an exciting but low scoring game. SHG drove to the Rochester 20 or so late but a last second pass was knocked down. Absolute mayhem on the Rochester side when the game ended.
2011 State Title- Montini 70 Joliet Catholic 45. Ty Issac ran for 515 yards and 6 td’s. Jordan Westerkamp had 353 yards receiving and 5 td’s. Montini had 587 yards passing, while Joliet Catholic had 747 yards rushing. The offensive production was at a video game level. I think a couple of fumbles opened it up for Montini in the 2nd half. To this day, I wonder if any other team has ever rushed for this many yards and lost the game.
2014 State Title- Rochester 49 Phillips 28. Phillips had only given up 58 points in 13 games. Rochester had two losses in the regular season and 4 or 5 guys playing who were facing surgery. Phillips had a great story and lots of Chicago media attention. This was the one final I felt Rochester was the clear underdog. Derek pushed all the right buttons and Rochester got a late 2nd Quarter score to lead 25-12 at half. It opened up to 46-12 in the 3rd Quarter before Phillips got two late scores.
The Rochester-Althoff playoff trilogy (2015-2017). Althoff won 46-42 at Althoff in 2015, when Rochester just couldn’t get stops in the 2nd half. Rochester won at Althoff 48-47 in 2016, despite Jaylon Bester scoring 5 td’s and running for about 300 yards. Both games were packed and there was no separation between fans at the old Althoff stadium. It got tense at times. Rochester won at home 41-23 in 2017. Althoff was massive on the line but did not have the passing attack of the previous two seasons.
2013 State Title- SHG 38 Montini 28. Montini had won several consecutive state titles and blew out to a quick 21-7 lead. SHG rallied, scored the next 31 points and had a great defensive effort the last three quarters. Ken Leonard was very fired up throughout, including jawing with some Montini fans at half. This was a very physical game with lots of big hits by both teams.
2013 Regular Season- Rochester 38 SHG 33 on the field, officially a forfeit win for SHG after “ring gate” came out later in the season. Rochester took a quick 21-0 lead and SHG looked vulnerable for once. Of course, they rallied and future NFL receiver Malik Turner had 2 late td’s. Rochester gambled on a long pass late in the 4th Quarter and then was able to run out the clock.
2000 Playoffs- Joliet Catholic 52 SHG 35. Went to this Quarter Final game at Joliet with some SHG friends. SHG had steamrolled everyone that season, but I’d never seen size like Joliet had. They had a 6’7” 280 pound Tight End and a 6’3” 225 pound Running Back who could fly. SHG fought hard but was behind most of the game. The SHG QB took a huge beating as Joliet blitzed him non-stop, but he hung in the whole game.
2003 Regular Season- Jacksonville 28 Southeast 27 (OT). I went to this game at Jacksonville with some Southeast fans. This was a back and forth game that looked like a sure Southeast win when they scored with less than a minute left. They did not, however, play a prevent defense and a Jacksonville receiver got behind them for a last second long TD. In OT, both teams scored. Southeast went for 2 and their pass was knocked down in the end zone. Southeast ended up 4-5 on the season and missed the playoffs.
My list includes plenty of Rochester games. However, I’ve got a fair number of games which did not involve the Rockets. The only game I didn’t see in person was the 2011 state title game between Montini Catholic and Joliet Catholic.
2010 Regular Season- Rochester 13 SHG 10. This was the first Leonard Bowl, Rochester’s initial season in the CS8. SHG came in with a 59 game conference winning streak. The game was at Memorial Stadium, as SHG did not yet have its own stadium. We got there 90 minutes before kickoff and there was already a huge crowd waiting to get in. This was an exciting but low scoring game. SHG drove to the Rochester 20 or so late but a last second pass was knocked down. Absolute mayhem on the Rochester side when the game ended.
2011 State Title- Montini 70 Joliet Catholic 45. Ty Issac ran for 515 yards and 6 td’s. Jordan Westerkamp had 353 yards receiving and 5 td’s. Montini had 587 yards passing, while Joliet Catholic had 747 yards rushing. The offensive production was at a video game level. I think a couple of fumbles opened it up for Montini in the 2nd half. To this day, I wonder if any other team has ever rushed for this many yards and lost the game.
2014 State Title- Rochester 49 Phillips 28. Phillips had only given up 58 points in 13 games. Rochester had two losses in the regular season and 4 or 5 guys playing who were facing surgery. Phillips had a great story and lots of Chicago media attention. This was the one final I felt Rochester was the clear underdog. Derek pushed all the right buttons and Rochester got a late 2nd Quarter score to lead 25-12 at half. It opened up to 46-12 in the 3rd Quarter before Phillips got two late scores.
The Rochester-Althoff playoff trilogy (2015-2017). Althoff won 46-42 at Althoff in 2015, when Rochester just couldn’t get stops in the 2nd half. Rochester won at Althoff 48-47 in 2016, despite Jaylon Bester scoring 5 td’s and running for about 300 yards. Both games were packed and there was no separation between fans at the old Althoff stadium. It got tense at times. Rochester won at home 41-23 in 2017. Althoff was massive on the line but did not have the passing attack of the previous two seasons.
2013 State Title- SHG 38 Montini 28. Montini had won several consecutive state titles and blew out to a quick 21-7 lead. SHG rallied, scored the next 31 points and had a great defensive effort the last three quarters. Ken Leonard was very fired up throughout, including jawing with some Montini fans at half. This was a very physical game with lots of big hits by both teams.
2013 Regular Season- Rochester 38 SHG 33 on the field, officially a forfeit win for SHG after “ring gate” came out later in the season. Rochester took a quick 21-0 lead and SHG looked vulnerable for once. Of course, they rallied and future NFL receiver Malik Turner had 2 late td’s. Rochester gambled on a long pass late in the 4th Quarter and then was able to run out the clock.
2000 Playoffs- Joliet Catholic 52 SHG 35. Went to this Quarter Final game at Joliet with some SHG friends. SHG had steamrolled everyone that season, but I’d never seen size like Joliet had. They had a 6’7” 280 pound Tight End and a 6’3” 225 pound Running Back who could fly. SHG fought hard but was behind most of the game. The SHG QB took a huge beating as Joliet blitzed him non-stop, but he hung in the whole game.
2003 Regular Season- Jacksonville 28 Southeast 27 (OT). I went to this game at Jacksonville with some Southeast fans. This was a back and forth game that looked like a sure Southeast win when they scored with less than a minute left. They did not, however, play a prevent defense and a Jacksonville receiver got behind them for a last second long TD. In OT, both teams scored. Southeast went for 2 and their pass was knocked down in the end zone. Southeast ended up 4-5 on the season and missed the playoffs.
