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LA at GRCC Week One

Should be a good game.
Grand Rapids Catholic Central football program is 87-6 in the past 6 years.
Obviously, I can tell you nothing about the quality of high school football in Michigan, but the team lost in the state semifinals of last year's playoffs in Class 5A out of an 8-class tournament. There is not a separate division for private schools.
Enrollment according to their website is currently 638.
 
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All..... Looked them up. Nice complex with turf. A three hour drive (50 minutes by air if the Ramblers fire up the plane ;)) for this 3pm Saturday game.
Fwiw if these two played last season. The computer says..... Massey - Loyola 40 GRCC 14 (88%) and Calpreps - Loyola 38 GRCC 14 (94%). Ratsy
 
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Major respect for a program with a pair of stones to ask for this game. Sad that there’s not one within 3 hours of Wilmette.

Rambler 18-15 Cougar.
 
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Major respect for a program with a pair of stones to ask for this game. Sad that there’s not one within 3 hours of Wilmette.

Rambler 18-15 Cougar.
Is it entirely fair to pick on Illinois high school football programs?
1) By late spring, basically everybody has a Week 1 game scheduled so the pickings for Loyola are not great, especially when you consider that for there to be a competitive game, a small-school power such as Decatur St. Teresa or Lena-Winslow or Richmond or Joliet Catholic, etc. doesn't really qualify. (See Rochester vs. Loyola in recent past).
2) The 8A perennial powerhouses such as Maine South is playing Brother Rice, Warren is playing Barrington, Week 1, as are Lincoln-Way East vs. expected Chicago Public League. power Kenwood. Glenbrook South is opening with Class 7A perennial power Lake Zurich. And top Fox Valley teams like Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge can't play Loyola as they are in a 10-team conference.
Loyola's already scheduled to play Marist, Naperville North, Mt. Carmel, Brother Rice and St. Rita so they can't play any of those teams Week 1.
My point is, I don't think these top-end programs are scheduling the prep version of NCAA football directional schools Week 1 to assure a victory. Seems like all these schools are doing their best to schedule a quality opponent that certainly could beat them in Week 1, which it seems most of the. people on this board think is a very good idea.
 
Is it entirely fair to pick on Illinois high school football programs?
1) By late spring, basically everybody has a Week 1 game scheduled so the pickings for Loyola are not great, especially when you consider that for there to be a competitive game, a small-school power such as Decatur St. Teresa or Lena-Winslow or Richmond or Joliet Catholic, etc. doesn't really qualify. (See Rochester vs. Loyola in recent past).
2) The 8A perennial powerhouses such as Maine South is playing Brother Rice, Warren is playing Barrington, Week 1, as are Lincoln-Way East vs. expected Chicago Public League. power Kenwood. Glenbrook South is opening with Class 7A perennial power Lake Zurich. And top Fox Valley teams like Cary-Grove and Prairie Ridge can't play Loyola as they are in a 10-team conference.
Loyola's already scheduled to play Marist, Naperville North, Mt. Carmel, Brother Rice and St. Rita so they can't play any of those teams Week 1.
My point is, I don't think these top-end programs are scheduling the prep version of NCAA football directional schools Week 1 to assure a victory. Seems like all these schools are doing their best to schedule a quality opponent that certainly could beat them in Week 1, which it seems most of the. people on this board think is a very good idea.
GBS is playing York in week 1, LZ in week 2.
 
I like that Loyola is playing top teams from other states. If we could be assured of 2 yr contracts, I would love to see if we could find games like that with new OOS schools every two years. I think the travel every other year would be good bonding for the team at the beginning of the season.

I would especially like to see if we could play other Jesuit schools in the Midwest like Ignatius in Cleveland, St X in Cincy, DeSmet in St Louis, Brebeuf in Indy, Rockhurst in KC, etc. Those schools should try to get together and work out some sort of arrangement.
 
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Perhaps not as badly as you think, especially if SHG were to host - though I agree that CBC would surely be a favorite.

All.... The Cadets are coming off back to back state championships in 2021 and 2022 going 13-1 both years. Those two losses 48-44 and 64-19 to East St. Louis.

SHG is on the road in 2024 and at home in 2025 against them. Ratsy
 
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