Lake Zurich @ St. Rita
- Thread starter ritaguy007
- Start date
My early thoughts are that LZ is the favorite in this game, but not by a big margin. It will be a competitive game for sure. As tomloner mentioned in another post, SR is dinged up a bit. But, I got to assume that LZ is dinged up a bit, too. Someone in the LZ family can confirm this? And how bad is SR dinged up? No excuses, though. Next guy up!
In the end, Rita has their second string QB in there and facing this LZ defense is going to be a daunting challenge. But, I have all the confidence in #6 who has worked very hard, recovered from an injury and has performed admirably in the playoffs. I mean after all he is 2 - 0 as a starter in the playoffs--not bad!
This should be a good one. I think Luke Mertens was an assistant coach at Rita before he took over at Lakes. I expect a close game. If LZ can stop the run, this an IF based on what I have seen and know about Rita, then LZ has a chance to win IMO. Usually teams have to throw to move the ball on LZ.
LZ has been fortunate so far on the injury side. Especially given the LZ QB will run at times. But I remember last year Sanborn missed the Fenwick game due to an illiness. So you never know for sure.
Speaking of Sanborn, for those who like to watch a really good defense, you are in for a treat. This LZ defense ranks up there as one of the better ones at LZ. But they won't scare anyone with their size, (everything just seems to click). Except for Sanborn, no 7, who looks and plays like he could be starting for Wisconsin (where he is going) right now.
The teams have some history, Rita beating LZ in the finals in 06, and LZ winning 21-0 in the semis in 2010. Not sure if this LZ defense is as good as the 2010 defense, but comparable.
The X factor for LZ this year has been their QB. Amazing what an offensive minded coach has done for him and that offense, which in years past only ran the ball.
Playing in Chicago at home should benefit Rita.
LZ has been fortunate so far on the injury side. Especially given the LZ QB will run at times. But I remember last year Sanborn missed the Fenwick game due to an illiness. So you never know for sure.
Speaking of Sanborn, for those who like to watch a really good defense, you are in for a treat. This LZ defense ranks up there as one of the better ones at LZ. But they won't scare anyone with their size, (everything just seems to click). Except for Sanborn, no 7, who looks and plays like he could be starting for Wisconsin (where he is going) right now.
The teams have some history, Rita beating LZ in the finals in 06, and LZ winning 21-0 in the semis in 2010. Not sure if this LZ defense is as good as the 2010 defense, but comparable.
The X factor for LZ this year has been their QB. Amazing what an offensive minded coach has done for him and that offense, which in years past only ran the ball.
Playing in Chicago at home should benefit Rita.
@mgannon, nice summary. LZ's 2010 win vs SR was at home, this at 77th and Western, an altogether different experience and school tradition, added incentive for Mustangs and Alums quest for 3rd State Title.
Interesting note on Mertens previously coaching at Rita? Teacher Kuska vs Student Mertens?
Even If Rita #1QB still out, #2 has two playoff wins under his belt with momentum. Looking forward to good game.
Interesting note on Mertens previously coaching at Rita? Teacher Kuska vs Student Mertens?
Even If Rita #1QB still out, #2 has two playoff wins under his belt with momentum. Looking forward to good game.
Darn it. Two classy fan bases. Shut it down til Saturday. No drama here. Good Luck Bears @michaeldgannon @BearMarket82 @SPB56
May the best team that evening win. Go Rita Go!
May the best team that evening win. Go Rita Go!
Rock / Witty best to you and your team. Have good friend with two boys that played at PC 2009-14, attended nearly all their CCL Blue Games.
Fierce rivalry on field and mutual sportsmanship / respect off field between these catholic schools is something special to see.
Often observed PC student's backs / chins stiffen-up as PC's Father McGrath strolled by them at games. Something well to be said about value and traditions of CCL education and athletics. Good luck Friday. Hope best team emerges best-suited to oust highly favored Flyers for likely semi match-up.
Back at you Rock. Nothing like a great game and while there's not a lot of history, what there is is going to get some blood flowing and it'll add to the back story.
Yes two great fan bases and in spite of the low attendance for many/most of the PO games, this will make high on the don't miss games. I'm hoping the weather is good enough to make travel easy and sitting and watching not unBEARable
(no rain, little wind and reasonable temps).It's great to see some of those in the wings come in and step up. That'll bode well for your program as it is for ours in the future. Some of our Sophs and Frosh saw time in both of our PO...so we're looking forward to that.
Best to you and the Reeter Rooters as well. I'm looking forward to meeting SR for the first time @ SR...I'm glad IHSA did the 1-32.
Pretty excited to see Sanborn. To see Coach Mertens offense. Get there early to go into the high school and see some of the tradition, nice hall of fame, Rita alums in the pros mural.Back at you Rock. Nothing like a great game and while there's not a lot of history, what there is is going to get some blood flowing and it'll add to the back story.
Yes two great fan bases and in spite of the low attendance for many/most of the PO games, this will make high on the don't miss games. I'm hoping the weather is good enough to make travel easy and sitting and watching not unBEARable
It's great to see some of those in the wings come in and step up. That'll bode well for your program as it is for ours in the future. Some of our Sophs and Frosh saw time in both of our PO...so we're looking forward to that.
Best to you and the Reeter Rooters as well. I'm looking forward to meeting SR for the first time @ SR...I'm glad IHSA did the 1-32.
If you come in off 294, stop at The Pit for some Ribs, or Foxs or Palermos for good Pizza.
As far as a crowd, this year is crazy because last year was a football desert on the south side in November. Now this Saturday there's 4 games, at StL, at MC (gately), SR , and Marist. That's four games pulling the allegiances and attention of the casual fan from Beverly, Mt. Greenwood, Oak Lawn, Garfield Ridge, Palos, Homer Glen. A Quarterfinal game on the south side when it's the only game in town would've been nuts. But 4 quarterfinal games in a 10mile radius will hurt attendance but have no effect of both our teams' intensity and effort levels.
You’re reading my mind. I was going to ask for some recs. Planning on getting off at 95th, so I will check theses places out. 3 things we lack up here, great ribs, great Chicago beef sandwiches and taverns.
I grew up on the SE Side and went to Mendel so I’m pretty familiar with all of the locations. It’s going to be a crazy day, lots of big matchups. For the folks down there, if they don’t have a dog in a fight, I don’t know which theyd pick. Feeling sorry for St. L.
We get to the games pretty early, but hows the parking situation?
I grew up on the SE Side and went to Mendel so I’m pretty familiar with all of the locations. It’s going to be a crazy day, lots of big matchups. For the folks down there, if they don’t have a dog in a fight, I don’t know which theyd pick. Feeling sorry for St. L.
We get to the games pretty early, but hows the parking situation?
StL is playing PC so it should be solid crowd with PC traveling well and relatively not far and easy drive for a quarterfinal. Phillips is playing at 1pm at Gately pushing the MC game to 4pm at Gately (or ESL wanted the later start time). If the IHSA was smart, with the low attendances hurting the coffers, then step in and make the MC game at one. SR and MC have the same casual fans and families that have intermarried over the years besides obviously each sides' diehards, and the IHSA would've benefitted from a lot of fans doing a Saturday double header.
Getting off at 95th is the right choice. Head west for the ribs, head east for the pizza.
Mendel was an Augustinian school and St. Rita has dedicated a wing of the school to the Men of Mendel. If you want to check it out, enter the school, through the McCarthy center entrance (right by parking lot), you'll see a bunch of activity around there. There you can see the Mendel wing, Rita pro mural and HOF.
Parking is not a problem. Father's club does a great job and a credit to Rita, despite having a beautiful campus, they open the whole campus to parking for big games, just enter at 77th street (further north entrance, has a street light)
Your coach does have huge Rita bloodlines. What a great storyline for a great game. How can I cheer against a Mertens? I won't. I'll just cheer for the Mustangs.
Wow, that’s really cool re the wing. Thanks for all the other info too. It’s really helpful for planning the day.
LZ seems to be still learning what they can do, and if there’s something where they've struggled they seem to correct it by the next week. Lots of credit to Mertens and the kids are totally committing to him and his staff.
It’s going to be a long week...is it Saturday yet?
LZ seems to be still learning what they can do, and if there’s something where they've struggled they seem to correct it by the next week. Lots of credit to Mertens and the kids are totally committing to him and his staff.
It’s going to be a long week...is it Saturday yet?
Update on your planning: another poster reminded me of a great beef place on 83rd and Harlem. Dukes drive in. Get off at 95th, go east to Harlem, north to 83rd. After eats, north again to 79th. 79th due east. Lots of lights but line up pretty good if you go 30mph. (A lot of Rita games, a lot of practice timing lights).
My list of pizza places, 1) palermos 95th ciceroish, 2) Vito and Nicks 87th and Pulaski-ish 3) Rosangelos 95th and franciscoish, 4) Barraccos 87th and Centralish 5) Fox's 90th and Ciceroish
Still no solid MC/ESL game time per edgy, so if it's an earlier game, both games MC/ESL and SR/LZ will be much better attended. I'd do that doubleheader in a heartbeat.
Reading your posts I have such a urge for a pizza at 5am. Today’s a football free day for me.
But how about you opinion for the following south side items:
Best moderate priced family restaurant?
Best up scale restaurant?
Best sit down burger joint?
Best thin crust pizza?
Best Chicago Pizza?
Best sit down pizza restaurant?
Best bar for a brew with the guys under 50 and over 50 to celebrate CCL blue victories?
Les Brothers, ironically, right off 294 and 95th st. for our LZ fans
Upscale? I'm first gen Rita not 3rd gen MC or LA
For the challenge, Illinois bar and grill off 47th or Billy Goat by UC
Easy. Vito and Nicks
Old Giordanos was special. Still good after restructuring but 63rd and Kedzie, when I learned of it as a 12 yo, you knew there was a God with so much food packed in 1/8th of a pie. Life changing.
Sit down? Vito and Nicks still. Grandpas tile and paneling and old style on tap. Count me in. Original Home Run Inn too off 35th. Original Beggars or any Beggars. They franchised the feel of the original better than most.
The nice thing about CCL is once graduated the 20yr old and 70 yo are the same age. Western Ave. Mcnallys, Sean Rhino. Archer Ave. Guides
Best beef, not that you asked, Vittorios by Iggy, UC. Tony's beef on Pulaski, I'd have to ask my brother if it's still open. Sent many a client flying in or out of Midway to that Tony's and they thanked me for that piece of heaven before returning to tasteless Omaha or Cleveland.
I'd rather do this all week. Or we can debate which team is faster SR or LZ
Les Brothers, ironically, right off 294 and 95th st. for our LZ fans
Upscale? I'm first gen Rita not 3rd gen MC or LA
For the challenge, Illinois bar and grill off 47th or Billy Goat by UC
Easy. Vito and Nicks
Old Giordanos was special. Still good after restructuring but 63rd and Kedzie, when I learned of it as a 12 yo, you knew there was a God with so much food packed in 1/8th of a pie. Life changing.
Sit down? Vito and Nicks still. Grandpas tile and paneling and old style on tap. Count me in. Original Home Run Inn too off 35th. Original Beggars or any Beggars. They franchised the feel of the original better than most.
The nice thing about CCL is once graduated the 20yr old and 70 yo are the same age. Western Ave. Mcnallys, Sean Rhino. Archer Ave. Guides
Best beef, not that you asked, Vittorios by Iggy, UC. Tony's beef on Pulaski, I'd have to ask my brother if it's still open. Sent many a client flying in or out of Midway to that Tony's and they thanked me for that piece of heaven before returning to tasteless Omaha or Cleveland.
I'd rather do this all week. Or we can debate which team is faster SR or LZ
Keeping it closer to may my more current area of expertise:
Best moderate priced family restaurant?
Gibbon’s - Steak - old school
Jenny's - general menu
Best up scale restaurant?
Krapil's Steakhouse & Patio - outside in summer is the best
Best sit down burger joint?
Horse Thief Hollow - it’s a brewery if your into beer.
Best thin crust pizza?
Fox’s
Barraco's
It’s like saying which daughter is prettier
Best Chicago Pizza?
Palermo's
Home Run Inn
This will get more arguments than who is the all-time best running back in the CCL
Best sit down pizza restaurant?
Fox’s Oak Lawn
Best bar for a brew with the guys under 50 and over 50 to celebrate CCL blue victories?
Under Bourbon Street
Over Cork and Kerry
Both could be flipped depending on the time of the day.
Priceless:
The nice thing about CCL is once graduated the 20yr old and 70 yo are the same age.
Great call on cork and bourbon. Can't forget about my guys at Lawlors in Mt. Greenwood and off Archer
Ironically, the Rita Hall of Fame contains drivers for each of those above listed pizza places......Sorry, had to do it, I'm bored with no horse in this year's derby. Good luck to all CCl Blue this weekend. BR backs you all!
Forgot to mention the 100year room celebrating St. Rita's first 100years 1905-2005. That's a trip down memory lane especially for the SSiders that transplanted to the northern Burbs. Deeper walk into the school. Don't know if it'd be accessible game night. Just hang a left after the HOF if it's open.
MC63,
I grew up on Little Joe's, Palermo's and Vito N' Nick's. So, I do completely understand your position here. However, there were times we'd order our usual tavern-style at Palermo's along with their deep dish--which was/is very good to this day. As R-Soup mentioned the Giordano's on 63rd/Kedize was frequented by my many times. Lately, since there's a Malnati's near me, I've been enjoying that as well.
As I get older, I am becoming more of a knife-and-fork kind of guy when it comes to my pizza. I would love to try Pequod's.
Lots of great suggestions here....I'm going to give you the win for the variety of restaurants and choices. I've forgotten about most of those places. LZ isn't in the same league using that benchmark, JMO.
For all of the folks south who've never been to LZ or know much about the area. It's a pretty down to earth community. Upscale? by most standards you're not going to find it here. The people are generally business professionals, but there's a good mix of occupations and all of them are family oriented. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, you wouldn't know it as the focus is generally on common interests and cooperation. It's a lot less congested up here and a lot fewer lights than the 95th street / Harlem / Cicero / Western corridor, but Rte 12 still can be a pain at rush hour. We don't have many old / long time establishments that have the generations of history and at night it gets pretty quiet.
Having been to LA, Barrington, GW & WN games, and even in the NSC Lake Forest, I can certainly say that those have a distinctly different feel. I do know, and this has long predated the IHSA, the games on the south side and people who attended them are very passionate about their team(s). That passion is something that I can say does exist in LZ. To me it feels like HS again largely because we had great teams and similar fan spirit back then as well.
I will say we pay a lot for water and property taxes (not as much as some of our neighbors fortunately), so you may have to give us the "win" [sic] on that one.
I'd love to make a long day of it, but the Mrs. who's always there too, may not like the forecast. That may not stop us from doing some dining before and after the game however
Is it Saturday yet?
For all of the folks south who've never been to LZ or know much about the area. It's a pretty down to earth community. Upscale? by most standards you're not going to find it here. The people are generally business professionals, but there's a good mix of occupations and all of them are family oriented. It doesn't matter who you are or what you do, you wouldn't know it as the focus is generally on common interests and cooperation. It's a lot less congested up here and a lot fewer lights than the 95th street / Harlem / Cicero / Western corridor, but Rte 12 still can be a pain at rush hour. We don't have many old / long time establishments that have the generations of history and at night it gets pretty quiet.
Having been to LA, Barrington, GW & WN games, and even in the NSC Lake Forest, I can certainly say that those have a distinctly different feel. I do know, and this has long predated the IHSA, the games on the south side and people who attended them are very passionate about their team(s). That passion is something that I can say does exist in LZ. To me it feels like HS again largely because we had great teams and similar fan spirit back then as well.
I will say we pay a lot for water and property taxes (not as much as some of our neighbors fortunately), so you may have to give us the "win" [sic] on that one.
I'd love to make a long day of it, but the Mrs. who's always there too, may not like the forecast. That may not stop us from doing some dining before and after the game however
Is it Saturday yet?
Love the spirit but this thread is about ribs, ribeyes, beefs and pizza to pass the time til Saturday afternoon
Was at St. Rita for lunch today. In general everyone is playing Saturday but a lot banged up kids. Coach talked to the LZ coach and they are in the same boat. But if you want to put Jake Zylman’s injury at QB in prospective he was voted Catholic League Co-Offense Player of the Year. Big loss. The school just got a Two million dollar gift from a non-alumni this past week. One million up front and one million in matching funds which they except by Christmas. So St. Rita will be breaking ground on the Fitness Center in April.
Tough game Saturday vs a very good opponent. Luke Mertens was an assist at St. Rita so I think he will really have his squad fired up. He’s done a great job picking up that program from last year.
Tough game Saturday vs a very good opponent. Luke Mertens was an assist at St. Rita so I think he will really have his squad fired up. He’s done a great job picking up that program from last year.
Yes but w/o a nutrition center SR will never be on par with Loyola.....
Sorry could not pass that one up.
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Although not within the LZ village limits, the Gilmer Road House is pretty darn close and certainly qualifies as an old and long time establishment. Love that place! Hackney's would have been another one worthy of inclusion as a long time LZ establishment, but it recently closed.
Perhaps, but it was a Ferrari that needed some TLC. Amazing what a little extra air injection and all wheel drive had done.
Yep, there are a couple. Hackney's was great after the Fri Nite games...they'd put on the tape of the game and lots of fans, coaches and even some refs showed up. About the only reasonable place open at 10pm.Although not within the LZ village limits, the Gilmer Road House is pretty darn close and certainly qualifies as an old and long time establishment. Love that place! Hackney's would have been another one worthy of inclusion as a long time LZ establishment, but it recently closed.
Scoreboard has been there a while. Food's not bad and an OK selection of brews on tap. It essentially became a sports tavern.
It's tough at this point with injuries. With Win or GoHome, everyone pushes harder and most of the time there's a reward for the effort, but sometimes it's a big turning point for the game and even the season.
It's extra hard when a good team loses because of some injuries, especially when it's two good teams that would have really shown their best had everyone been healthy.
All that being said, you go to battle with all that you can muster. Only thing you can do is give it your best.
Oh yes, I've seen that LZ school spirit in person twice and it's impressive: the crowd they brought to U of I in 2006 and the Full house White Out in 2010.
To steal your line: Is it Saturday yet?
Talent wise yes. But the program had been in big trouble with the hazing stuff. Good to be talking just about football.
Out of town this weekend. Is this game being broadcast on internet TV or radio? Not seeing it as upcoming game on NFHS website.
@ the Rita fan base, what happened to the "Big Guy" internet radio station? He used to broadcast all the Rita games, he was awesome.
@ the Rita fan base, what happened to the "Big Guy" internet radio station? He used to broadcast all the Rita games, he was awesome.
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Big guy lurks around here. He might answer. @StRitaAthletics on twitter does a nice job, win or lose, tweeting relevant plays. It will drive you nuts in the 4th quarter though if it's a close game because they don't tweet every play. I don't tweet or post during the game, phone just goes into the pocket.
