Small STL Catholics Challenge Large IL Powerhouses

[crusader_of_90]

MO 3A and STL-area small-school #2 Lutheran North opens up in suburban Chicago against 6A Nazareth Academy, followed by a showdown against another Chicago area juggernaut in Homewood Flossmoor at the Gateway Scholars Classic at East St. Louis High. The Crusaders end their wild three weeks with a road trip to Cincinnati to take on perennial Ohio state championship contender, Elder.

MO 3A and STL-area small-school #1 Trinity Catholic brings back 10 starters on offense and 10 on defense. The Titans, led by a senior class that has more than 150 combined Division I scholarship offers, travel 14 hours Moultrie, Ga., and open its season against Colquitt County at 7 p.m. Saturday. A week later it plays in the finale of the Gateway Scholars Classic against host East St. Louis.

Unconfirmed reports have Derek Leonard dodging phone calls from both schools.

 

[SilverHelmets]

Colquitt is typically very strong. The coach is that maniac that used to be at Hoover Alabama when it was on the MTV show Two a Days

 

[crusader_of_90]

Both of those teams failed to win the 3A title last year and still face Lamar, with the nation's longest winning streak.

 

[Gutz74]

FYI - Lutheran North is a Lutheran school - not Catholic.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Hahahaha I was wondering when someone would say something about that.

Lutherans are Catholic Lite.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Vianney’s Williams, ND bound, Offensive Player of the Year.

Trinity’s Cooper, announcing at the UA game, Defensive Player of the Year.

 

[crusader_of_90]

Trinity had some big signings - Florida State, Texas, Illinois, Wyoming.

https://www.stltoday.com/sports/hig..._a535ccee-0326-11e9-9104-3b27a523cb2b.html#12

 

[net-se]

MO 3A and STL-area small-school #2 Lutheran North opens up in suburban Chicago against 6A Nazareth Academy, followed by a showdown against another Chicago area juggernaut in Homewood Flossmoor at the Gateway Scholars Classic at East St. Louis High. The Crusaders end their wild three weeks with a road trip to Cincinnati to take on perennial Ohio state championship contender, Elder.

MO 3A and STL-area small-school #1 Trinity Catholic brings back 10 starters on offense and 10 on defense. The Titans, led by a senior class that has more than 150 combined Division I scholarship offers, travel 14 hours Moultrie, Ga., and open its season against Colquitt County at 7 p.m. Saturday. A week later it plays in the finale of the Gateway Scholars Classic against host East St. Louis.

Unconfirmed reports have Derek Leonard dodging phone calls from both schools.

why would derek leonard be dodging phone calls? even if this is true, maybe it has something to do with derek already having a 9 game schedule with its 10 team conference.......

 

[crusader_of_90]

The Trinity to Illinois pipeline is real.

And it could be spectacular for the Illini.

Trinity junior running back Reggie Love verbally committed Sunday night to Illinois. A 5-foot-10 and 195-pound running back, Love is the third Trinity to player to commit or sign with Illinois since 2018. Offensive lineman Larry Boyd signed in 2018 while quarterback Isaiah Williams and linebacker Shammond Cooper signed during this school year.

Love hinted the Illini could continue to add more Trinity players to the mix. Standout athlete Teryion “Mookie” Cooper is the No. 2 recruit in Missouri in the 2020 class according to Rivals and 247sports. After a brief commitment to Texas, Cooper reopened his recruiting and is a primary target for the Illini staff.

Illinois hired former Trinity coach Cory Patterson as a tight ends coach in January of 2018 and he has helped make Illinois a contender for the wealth of area talent. Ladue defensive end Moses Okpala also signed with Illinois this winter.

Rivals lists Love as the No. 3 player in his class in Missouri and 247sports pegs him as the No. 6 player in the state in his class. Love has more than 20 other offers that included Arkansas, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Penn State and Wisconsin. Missouri did not offer Love a scholarship.

Love rushed for 539 yards on 76 carries and scored six touchdowns as the Titans won the Class 3 state championship, the first in school history.

Love said Illinois has talked to him about growing into a three-down back that could split out into the slot if needed.

Illinois has big plans for its future and Love joins a familiar cast in forming the foundation. After helping turn Trinity from football also-ran into a title contender the hope is to pull the same trick with the Illini.

“It's a vision. We did it at Trinity,” Love said. “I feel like we can do it at the next level. Why not?”

Love said Cooper, with whom he is longtime friends, had been recruiting him hard to join the movement in Champaign-Urbana. It was hard for Love to say no.

“Some guys get homesick,” Love said. “It'll be hard for me to get homesick (with so many familiar faces). It makes it feel like home again.”

Love said making his commitment official was a relief. It took an immense amount of pressure off him. His recruitment, as far as he's concerned, is over.

“I'm 110 percent committed to the University of Illinois,” Love said.

 

[EdgyTim]

Happy for him I've seen him live last year and again this winter at camps....just remember it's a long long way till Signing Day is all...and I still feel Illinois has to win more games this year otherwise I can see a reset of sorts in Champaign