Great Championship Games?

[USD24]

Championship week is here. I have been fortunate enough to watch my favorite team play in or be a part of a number of championship games over the years. Below are a few of my most memorable. The first two were 5A championships back when there were only 6 classes.

1987- JC 14 Richwoods 13. My personal favorite and a great memory as a player. JC trailed 13-0 at half. Defense stepped up from there and did not allow another first down. Hilltoppers rallied in the second half. Scored winning TD with just over 2 minutes left on a long pass from Jonathon Voss to Tyrone Isaac.

1987 JC/Richwoods

1992- WWS 40 JC 34 The Hilltoppers were coming off a huge semifinal win vs Mt Carmel. Classic game with numerous lead changes. WWS pulled out the win in double overtime. Although disappointed in the outcome, it was an unbelievable game.

1992 JC/WWS


2018- JC 35 Montini 27. Most on this board recall this one. A true classic battle of two great programs. JC's top back gets hurt early, but Iannantone has a monster game, rushes for over 300 yards. Hillmen take late lead, Montini storms back and has 5 or 6 plays inside the 10 yard line but cant punch it in. Game ends on a 4th down interception on the 5 yard line as time expires.

2018 JC/Montini

What are your most memorable games?

Good luck to all the teams playing this week.

 

[rocketnation]

2014 Rochester 49 Phillips 28. Phillips had only given up 56 points all season, had a great story, and had their season chronicled by Sports Illustrated. This was the one final where I thought the Rockets were clearly the underdog. Rochester got a late 1st half score to lead 25-12 and then led 46-12 in the second half before Phillips got two late TD’s. Everything Derek called on offense worked that day.

2017 Rochester 24 Morris 21. My son dressed in this game, so I have a bias here. A game of contrasts. Rochester had a chance to put Morris away in the 3rd quarter up 21-7 and with the ball but couldn’t get another TD. Morris tied it up with two long drives behind a huge Offensive Line, including scoring on 4th and goal to tie it at 21 late. Nic Baker had just enough time to engineer the winning drive, and Sophomore Clay Alewelt kicked a short FG as time expired.

2019 Rochester 42 St Rita 28. The Clay Bruno and Hank Beatty combo worked all day in lousy conditions. The defense, which had some rocky moments that year, also played outstanding. Rita never quit and rallied late but this was a more decisive victory than the score indicates. Rainy, windy, and cold. Originally planned to stay and watch East St Louis play in the 6A game but the poor weather sent me on the road home as soon as the game ended.

 

[4Anorth]

Morris vs Richards 1989 12-6 OT
and the Morris vs Rochester games 2017

 

[JAYC14]

1990 Joliet Catholic 21, Geneseo 20.
Great game, great memories of this one at Illinois State. Lucky to be apart of this JC team.
I wish the state championships would return to ISU. Great venue and location for the entire state.

1981 Joliet Catholic 8, Deerfield 7.
Just a little one in the stands at Northwestern for this one with my Dad, family and friends. Another great battle with Coach Gillespie's Hillmen scoring late and going for 2 to take the lead. Then hanging on after a missed Deerfield field goal attempt late in the game.

 

[mchsalumni]

Championship week is here. I have been fortunate enough to watch my favorite team play in or be a part of a number of championship games over the years. Below are a few of my most memorable. The first two were 5A championships back when there were only 6 classes.

1987- JC 14 Richwoods 13. My personal favorite and a great memory as a player. JC trailed 13-0 at half. Defense stepped up from there and did not allow another first down. Hilltoppers rallied in the second half. Scored winning TD with just over 2 minutes left on a long pass from Jonathon Voss to Tyrone Isaac.

1987 JC/Richwoods

1992- WWS 40 JC 34 The Hilltoppers were coming off a huge semifinal win vs Mt Carmel. Classic game with numerous lead changes. WWS pulled out the win in double overtime. Although disappointed in the outcome, it was an unbelievable game.

1992 JC/WWS


2018- JC 35 Montini 27. Most on this board recall this one. A true classic battle of two great programs. JC's top back gets hurt early, but Iannantone has a monster game, rushes for over 300 yards. Hillmen take late lead, Montini storms back and has 5 or 6 plays inside the 10 yard line but cant punch it in. Game ends on a 4th down interception on the 5 yard line as time expires.

2018 JC/Montini

What are your most memorable games?

Good luck to all the teams playing this week.

When I saw JCA/Montini, I thought you posted 2011.

 

[mmca]

1990 Joliet Catholic 21, Geneseo 20.
Great game, great memories of this one at Illinois State. Lucky to be apart of this JC team.
I wish the state championships would return to ISU. Great venue and location for the entire state.

1981 Joliet Catholic 8, Deerfield 7.
Just a little one in the stands at Northwestern for this one with my Dad, family and friends. Another great battle with Coach Gillespie's Hillmen scoring late and going for 2 to take the lead. Then hanging on after a missed Deerfield field goal attempt late in the game.

The 81 clash between JC and Deerfield was an outstanding battle! Heartbreaking ending for me and fellow Warriors as Caris' kick was just barely missed. Another heartbreaker was the battle against Peoria Richwoods in 84. Deerfield was stopped at the goal line in the final seconds, Richwoods 21 Deerfield 14

 

[JCHillmen]

When I saw JCA/Montini, I thought you posted 2011.

View embedded media

I can live with 2011. Montini ended up pulling away comfortably by the end. 2009 on the other hand….we get one additional single stop or avoid one turnover and that game is different.

Stealing one we shouldn’t have won 9 years later in 2018 is the only thing that really lessens that blow.

 

[mchsalumni]

I can live with 2011. Montini ended up pulling away comfortably by the end. 2009 on the other hand….we get one additional single stop or avoid one turnover and that game is different.

Stealing one we shouldn’t have won 9 years later in 2018 is the only thing that really lessens that blow.

3 great title games, really. 09 and 11 with 18 being the make good. Enjoyed all of them except for the end of 18!

 

[colin2229]

2006 3a title SJO vs Plano is still the best one I’ve seen in person. Had no dog in the fight. Just a great game.

4 lead changes in the 4th w Plano pulling it out 47-42.

 

[godfthr53]

Maybe not exactly games but leading up to it.

2014 Naz vs. Lemont Always remember your first time.

Naz had a flu running through the team starting on Thursday morning (about 25 guys and 5 coaches), cancelled practice Thursday and Friday. 13 starters were at the ER getting fluids until about an hour before the buses left for Champaign. There ended up being a sick quarantine bus and hotel rooms. The only thing that went as planned was the outcome.

2018 Naz vs. St Charles North

JJ McCarthy breaks his hand in practice on Tuesday or Wednesday. Tried to grip a ball the next day and couldn't. Went and got casted up and wasn't looking too good. He cut the cast off himself about hour before kickoff and went out and won the game and then ended up having surgury on Monday.

 

[USD24]

1990 Joliet Catholic 21, Geneseo 20. I've looked everywhere online for a video of this game. If anyone has access to a copy please contact me.

1990 JC/Geneseo
1990 JC/Geneseo part 2

 

[McCaravan]

1988 MC over ESL. MC Cardiac playoff run ends with Coach Lenti’s 1st State Title over another team they weren’t supposed to beat.

1991- MC over Wheaton Central. Jesus if this board was up then. To all of you that thought the Batavia PI was bad....MC couldn’t have played any worse...until the final 4 minutes and steal their 4th Title in a row.

1995- The heart breaker. Following the death of Kevin Dowling, Uncle of MC current QB Blainey Dowling, this team vowed they would win it all. A suspect and award winning acting job by Swaggers kicker, who had a brief NFL career, gave them another shot at a missed FG and MC falls short....amazing game though.

2019- Nobody gave MC a chance against Sir JJ McCarthy and his arsenal of D1 receivers and linemen. But Mother Nature can be a real B word. Outstanding game plan offensively by Coach Lynch and defensively by Coach Dave Lenti brought home Lucky # 13!

 

[Maj2023]

1988 MC over ESL. MC Cardiac playoff run ends with Coach Lenti’s 1st State Title over another team they weren’t supposed to beat.

1991- MC over Wheaton Central. Jesus if this board was up then. To all of you that thought the Batavia PI was bad....MC couldn’t have played any worse...until the final 4 minutes and steal their 4th Title in a row.

1995- The heart breaker. Following the death of Kevin Dowling, Uncle of MC current QB Blainey Dowling, this team vowed they would win it all. A suspect and award winning acting job by Swaggers kicker, who had a brief NFL career, gave them another shot at a missed FG and MC falls short....amazing game though.

2019- Nobody gave MC a chance against Sir JJ McCarthy and his arsenal of D1 receivers and linemen. But Mother Nature can be a real B word. Outstanding game plan offensively by Coach Lynch and defensively by Coach Dave Lenti brought home Lucky # 13!

Remember that 1991 MC win over WHEATON CENTRAL well! Still bitter over that PI call on WC that would of basically sealed the victory. Oh well we got the Championship the next year Over JCA, but really wanted MC again.

 

[Formicidae13]

Way before my time, but I’ve watched Mascoutah 8, Morris 7 from 1979 online a couple times. Quite a game(especially the finish) and is the only state title the Indians have ever won

 

[JCHILLTOPPERS]

When I saw JCA/Montini, I thought you posted 2011.

View embedded media

brutal