To have some laughs, pls post your teams most embarrassing loss ever.

[Hofman]

Most of you know I am a JCA guy. The description will be accurate but the time left may be off.
Jca was playing the (at the time ) powerhouse Marion Catholic. In a brutal battle we finally stopped them at our goal-line at the end of the game. The QB was Johnathan Voss, I swear to God this years QB father. Well we had a lead by more than two points but less than six. Voss took 3 knees to run down the clock to around 10 seconds. JCA calls time and coach Stone advises Voss to take the snap, run around the endzone as long as he can and then step out for the 2 point safety but then a free kick. We could not lose. So Voss takes the snap and runs around for his life for about 7 seconds, he then forgets what is going on with being chased and all the adrenaline pumping. He proceeds to try to run out of the endzone up the field and gets tackled at the two. I can still see coach Stone on the field at the 30 on his knees with his hands outstretched as if to say what have you done! So Marion has the ball on the two with 3 seconds left and they ran right thru our shocked defense. Does anyone remember that game or have their own stories?

I bet the Mount Carmel fans have one with JCA at our stadium but I'll let them have the fun.

 

[USD24]

Most of you know I am a JCA guy. The description will be accurate but the time left may be off.
Jca was playing the (at the time ) powerhouse Marion Catholic. In a brutal battle we finally stopped them at our goal-line at the end of the game. The QB was Johnathan Voss, I swear to God this years QB father. Well we had a lead by more than two points but less than six. Voss took 3 knees to run down the clock to around 10 seconds. JCA calls time and coach Stone advises Voss to take the snap, run around the endzone as long as he can and then step out for the 2 point safety but then a free kick. We could not lose. So Voss takes the snap and runs around for his life for about 7 seconds, he then forgets what is going on with being chased and all the adrenaline pumping. He proceeds to try to run out of the endzone up the field and gets tackled at the two. I can still see coach Stone on the field at the 30 on his knees with his hands outstretched as if to say what have you done! So Marion has the ball on the two with 3 seconds left and they ran right thru our shocked defense. Does anyone remember that game or have their own stories?

I bet the Mount Carmel fans have one with JCA at our stadium but I'll let them have the fun.

I was on that 1987 JC team and on the field for Marian's game winning TD. We were up 13-6 when it happened. Marian scored on the last play of the game after Voss was tackled on the 1 yard line. They then also made the 2 point conversion. It was not a good loss to say the least. Thankfully, we rallied that year and went on to win the 5A(out of 6 classes) state championship.

 

[Hofman]

I was on that 1987 JC team and on the field for Marian's game winning TD. We were up 13-6 when it happened. Marian scored on the last play of the game after Voss was tackled on the 1 yard line. They then also made the 2 point conversion. It was not a good loss to say the least. Thankfully, we rallied that year and went on to win the 5A(out of 6 classes) state championship.

Can't imagine what that felt like. Thanks for sharing

 

[septon34]

86 v Kenwood (most embarrassing)
89 v CVS (most devastating)

 

[rocketnation]

2018- SHG 45 Rochester 6. The most one-sided defeat I’ve seen. Rochester was driving to start the game and fumbled, the beginning of a horrible night. It snowballed from there. Only game I can remember that Rochester did not score a TD.

2015- Belleville Althoff 46 Rochester 42. The hardest loss to watch. Rochester led this quarterfinal by 2 TD’s in the first half, but the Defense could not stop Althoff as the game went on. Several chances to retake the lead late on passes in the end zone barely failed. On the ride home, my son and I picked up the SHG-Crete game on the radio. Crete won. Both Leonard’s eliminated from the playoffs within an hour.

 

[missingwalter]

In all the years I’ve followed Oswego I think the most unexpected was the recent Yorkville game.

 

[johnndoe]

First round 2014 Class 7A, WWS come-from-behind steal of a win in OT at the expense of LWN. Still hurts to remember that defeat snatched from the jaws of victory.

 

[ignazio]

Where to begin?

 

[mates1]

Week 9 in 1978 with Rich Central (8-0) down 20-0 to Tinley Park (8-0) at half. Two recovered onside kicks and a double pass for 6 at the very end for RC spell doom for TP. So the Titans sat home from the playoffs at 8-1 as the conference champ Olympians moved on.

 

[EdgyTim]

Week 9 in 1978 with Rich Central (8-0) down 20-0 to Tinley Park (8-0) at half. Two recovered onside kicks and a double pass for 6 at the very end for RC spell doom for TP. So the Titans sat home from the playoffs at 8-1 as the conference champ Olympians moved on.

Those were rough days in IHSA football for sure

 

[m.i.fan2]

Not really funny but very disappointing. In 2006 the Morton Potters finished 2nd in the Mid Illini with a 7-2 record. For the playoffs Morton dropped to down a class to be the largest school in 4A and who did we draw in the first round? Driscoll.

It had been a very rainy wet week and when we got to Driscoll their field was muddy but some of that mud was actually goose crap. It seems a flock of geese had been spending the last few nights on the field. After the game those were the worst smelling uniforms ever! It was muddy, cold, windy and crappy.

We scored and made the PAT. Driscoll scored and missed their PAT. So it was 7-6 down to the last couple minutes of the game. We needed one more first down and we could run the clock out but didn’t get it. Driscoll’s QB scrambled and passed on every play that last possession and they finally scored with a few seconds left in the game. Again they missed the PAT but it didn’t matter they won 12-7.

In those kind of games there are a lot of what ifs to go around. We had several chances to score during the game but couldn’t quite get it in. During Driscoll’s that last drive one of their passes went right to the chest of one of our defensive players. Most definitely catchable but it was dropped.

After that game we had to watch Driscoll cruise through rest of playoffs to win yet another title. Like I said not funny just extremely disappointing.

 

[crusader_of_90]

2012 Althoff Finals was a Disgrace
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — To a man, the Mercer County Golden Eagles said it was the wildest and craziest game they’d ever been involved in.

Also the most fulfilling.

And the most memorable.

The Eagles set an Illinois state championship game record by forcing six turnovers and they turned one of them into a record-breaking touchdown as they gutted out a 14-7 victory over Belleville Althoff in the Class 2A title game Friday at Memorial Stadium.

Devin Morford picked up a fumble and returned it 95 yards for the game-winning touchdown a few minutes into the second half to help the Eagles claim their first state championship since a merger with the Westmer school district a few years ago. They won three state titles as Aledo High School.

“What a rush,” said Mercer County coach Nat Zunkel, whose team finished 14-0.

He said he and his players have talked a lot about persevering, and that’s exactly what they did Friday as they were outgained 357-204 and had barely half as many first downs as a much bigger Althoff club.

"When we didn't make mistakes, we moved the ball how we wanted to," Althoff's coach Ken Turner said.

“One team gets to say they’re the high school state champions, and today it’s us,” Zunkel quipped. “It’s just awesome.”

The wild back-and-forth contest included 10 turnovers — six by Althoff, four by the Eagles — with the biggest of them coming about 3 minutes into the second half.

With the score tied at 7-7, Althoff appeared to be driving for a go-ahead touchdown with running back Dennis Jackson gouging out big gains on nearly every play.

Then he ran into Morford, who had a game-turning 96-yard interception return in a second-round playoff victory over Rockford Lutheran. The 160-pound senior bashed the ball loose from Jackson at the 5-yard line.

“The ball spun on my hip, and I just picked it up,” Morford explained. “I didn’t know if the play was over or not. I just kept running until I scored.”

Althoff quarterback Eric Mertens dove to tackle him about halfway through his journey, but Morford stepped out of his grasp and kept going.

Althoff coach Ken Turner said he thought the play was over when Morford first got the ball.

“We heard the whistle and that’s why our guys slowed up and didn’t start to chase them right away,” he said.

Morford and his teammates said they never heard a whistle.

That gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead, but there was plenty of action to come even though there were no more points scored.

Each team turned the ball over three more times after that, and there was one bizarre and extremely important play in which the ball changed hands three times.



Mercer County faced a crucial fourth-and-7 situation at the Althoff 28-yard line with little more than 2 minutes to go. Quarterback Tanner Matlick dropped back but was sacked by Nolan Abernathy with the ball squirting loose.

Eric Furmanek, a 240-pound linebacker who is being recruited by several Big Ten schools, picked up the ball on the run and took off the other way.

“It was scoop and score,” Zunkel said, saying he thought it was going to be an Althoff touchdown. “I looked at (assistant coach) Brian Dennison and just doubled over.”

But Furmanek fumbled after running 19 yards. Teammate Zach Donaldson picked the ball up and advanced it another 26 yards before Zach Nelson tackled him and poked it loose in the process. Morford was there to fall on it

“I thought our guy (Donaldson) was down, and I had already turned around to get our offense ready to go out there,” Turner said. “Then I turned around and they still had the ball.”

Zunkel said it was a tribute to the hustle and desire of his team.

“That happened 60 yards away from where the play first started,” he said. “Think about how easy it is to give up on a play like that. They followed through and we’re standing here because of it.”

Matlick said it was “probably the most negative first down play of all time.

“But we’ll take it,” he said.

It still wasn’t quite over at that point. The Eagles punted it back to Althoff with 30 seconds left, and the Crusaders completed three passes, two of which were accompanied by laterals. They ended up 33 yards short of the end zone with several of their players lying on the ground, pounding the turf in frustration.

“It was unreal getting here,” Furmanek said, “but this is going to sting for the rest of our lives.”

​

 

[Golden Warrior]

2012 season. A Sterling team with not much talent somehow goes 6-3 and makes the 5A playoffs. First round game is at Woodstock North on a cold, damp Saturday night. It's North's second ever playoff game and the first one they have hosted and it's the Super Bowl to them. On a side note, they treated the visiting media as poorly as I have ever encountered in over 25 years in the business. It was clear this was their first rodeo.

I don't remember a lot of the details of the game other than it was a running clock. Late in the 4th qtr, Sterling scored a meaningless TD. On the ensuing kickoff (North still has their regulars in) they run a double reverse and take it to the house. And the crowd went wild. I remember thinking they should "act like they've been there before", but they literally hadn't been there before.

Anyway, 68-20 final score...and the only playoff game North has ever won.

 

[CGgrad2]

2011 CG - Naz in the second round. The final was 24-0 and it wasn't even that close. First time CG had been shut out in a long long time. From the first kickoff I knew we were in big trouble. That score was posted in the locker room for the younger kids to see everyday during offseason workouts.

 

[MS4EVER]

2010 MS @ WWS

Just coming off 28 in a row we lost our first game against Schaumburg. Week 2 on ESPN WWS steamrolls us. I mean a serious beatdown on live TV. Super embarrassed at the time for sure. But then we go on to win 12 in a row and another title! Also WWS and Riley O'Toole dominate everyone and also win state. POY honors too!

 

[mchsalumni]

1982 Geneseo v. Montini. If you were there, you know the carnage.

 

[USD24]

1982 Geneseo v. Montini. If you were there, you know the carnage.

See my post in great semi-final games. Was there to witness it.

 

[Hofman]

2012 Althoff Finals was a Disgrace
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — To a man, the Mercer County Golden Eagles said it was the wildest and craziest game they’d ever been involved in.

Also the most fulfilling.

And the most memorable.

The Eagles set an Illinois state championship game record by forcing six turnovers and they turned one of them into a record-breaking touchdown as they gutted out a 14-7 victory over Belleville Althoff in the Class 2A title game Friday at Memorial Stadium.

Devin Morford picked up a fumble and returned it 95 yards for the game-winning touchdown a few minutes into the second half to help the Eagles claim their first state championship since a merger with the Westmer school district a few years ago. They won three state titles as Aledo High School.

“What a rush,” said Mercer County coach Nat Zunkel, whose team finished 14-0.

He said he and his players have talked a lot about persevering, and that’s exactly what they did Friday as they were outgained 357-204 and had barely half as many first downs as a much bigger Althoff club.

"When we didn't make mistakes, we moved the ball how we wanted to," Althoff's coach Ken Turner said.

“One team gets to say they’re the high school state champions, and today it’s us,” Zunkel quipped. “It’s just awesome.”

The wild back-and-forth contest included 10 turnovers — six by Althoff, four by the Eagles — with the biggest of them coming about 3 minutes into the second half.

With the score tied at 7-7, Althoff appeared to be driving for a go-ahead touchdown with running back Dennis Jackson gouging out big gains on nearly every play.

Then he ran into Morford, who had a game-turning 96-yard interception return in a second-round playoff victory over Rockford Lutheran. The 160-pound senior bashed the ball loose from Jackson at the 5-yard line.

“The ball spun on my hip, and I just picked it up,” Morford explained. “I didn’t know if the play was over or not. I just kept running until I scored.”

Althoff quarterback Eric Mertens dove to tackle him about halfway through his journey, but Morford stepped out of his grasp and kept going.

Althoff coach Ken Turner said he thought the play was over when Morford first got the ball.

“We heard the whistle and that’s why our guys slowed up and didn’t start to chase them right away,” he said.

Morford and his teammates said they never heard a whistle.

That gave the Eagles a 14-7 lead, but there was plenty of action to come even though there were no more points scored.

Each team turned the ball over three more times after that, and there was one bizarre and extremely important play in which the ball changed hands three times.



Mercer County faced a crucial fourth-and-7 situation at the Althoff 28-yard line with little more than 2 minutes to go. Quarterback Tanner Matlick dropped back but was sacked by Nolan Abernathy with the ball squirting loose.

Eric Furmanek, a 240-pound linebacker who is being recruited by several Big Ten schools, picked up the ball on the run and took off the other way.

“It was scoop and score,” Zunkel said, saying he thought it was going to be an Althoff touchdown. “I looked at (assistant coach) Brian Dennison and just doubled over.”

But Furmanek fumbled after running 19 yards. Teammate Zach Donaldson picked the ball up and advanced it another 26 yards before Zach Nelson tackled him and poked it loose in the process. Morford was there to fall on it

“I thought our guy (Donaldson) was down, and I had already turned around to get our offense ready to go out there,” Turner said. “Then I turned around and they still had the ball.”

Zunkel said it was a tribute to the hustle and desire of his team.

“That happened 60 yards away from where the play first started,” he said. “Think about how easy it is to give up on a play like that. They followed through and we’re standing here because of it.”

Matlick said it was “probably the most negative first down play of all time.

“But we’ll take it,” he said.

It still wasn’t quite over at that point. The Eagles punted it back to Althoff with 30 seconds left, and the Crusaders completed three passes, two of which were accompanied by laterals. They ended up 33 yards short of the end zone with several of their players lying on the ground, pounding the turf in frustration.

“It was unreal getting here,” Furmanek said, “but this is going to sting for the rest of our lives.”

​

Great story. Thanks!!

 

[IHSA777]

Week 9 in 1978 with Rich Central (8-0) down 20-0 to Tinley Park (8-0) at half. Two recovered onside kicks and a double pass for 6 at the very end for RC spell doom for TP. So the Titans sat home from the playoffs at 8-1 as the conference champ Olympians moved on.

They had a wild first round game where they beat Kankakee Westview barely in a shootout.Jimmy Smith could not be stopped by anyone but alas himself

 

[JAYC14]

Most of you know I am a JCA guy. The description will be accurate but the time left may be off.
Jca was playing the (at the time ) powerhouse Marion Catholic. In a brutal battle we finally stopped them at our goal-line at the end of the game. The QB was Johnathan Voss, I swear to God this years QB father. Well we had a lead by more than two points but less than six. Voss took 3 knees to run down the clock to around 10 seconds. JCA calls time and coach Stone advises Voss to take the snap, run around the endzone as long as he can and then step out for the 2 point safety but then a free kick. We could not lose. So Voss takes the snap and runs around for his life for about 7 seconds, he then forgets what is going on with being chased and all the adrenaline pumping. He proceeds to try to run out of the endzone up the field and gets tackled at the two. I can still see coach Stone on the field at the 30 on his knees with his hands outstretched as if to say what have you done! So Marion has the ball on the two with 3 seconds left and they ran right thru our shocked defense. Does anyone remember that game or have their own stories?

I bet the Mount Carmel fans have one with JCA at our stadium but I'll let them have the fun.

I was there. Freshman in the stands. Crazy ending. Catholic High lost the first game to St. Laurence and started the season 0-2. If I remember correctly, after the Marian loss, Voss stated in the paper that they wouldn’t lose another game the rest of the season.
Play 14 games and win the last one.

 

[Cross Bones]

2010 MS @ WWS

Just coming off 28 in a row we lost our first game against Schaumburg. Week 2 on ESPN WWS steamrolls us. I mean a serious beatdown on live TV. Super embarrassed at the time for sure. But then we go on to win 12 in a row and another title! Also WWS and Riley O'Toole dominate everyone and also win state. POY honors too!

I was sitting there for this one. Wasnt what I expected to say the least.

 

[mates1]

They had a wild first round game where they beat Kankakee Westview barely in a shootout.Jimmy Smith could not be stopped by anyone but alas himself

When he set up deep for a KO return in HS, it was really something to watch. Big, fast and strong. He was responsible for sending the cheesy Kayhawk that signaled TD down the rope to the base of the stands his share of times.

 

[USD24]

I was there. Freshman in the stands. Crazy ending. Catholic High lost the first game to St. Laurence and started the season 0-2. If I remember correctly, after the Marian loss, Voss stated in the paper that they wouldn’t lose another game the rest of the season.
Play 14 games and win the last one.

Nope, JC beat Stl in week one. Lost to Pat's in week five. But our motto that year was "Play 14 games and win the last one"

 

[PRokie]

2010 MS @ WWS

Just coming off 28 in a row we lost our first game against Schaumburg. Week 2 on ESPN WWS steamrolls us. I mean a serious beatdown on live TV. Super embarrassed at the time for sure. But then we go on to win 12 in a row and another title! Also WWS and Riley O'Toole dominate everyone and also win state. POY honors too!

Or losing to New Trier in ‘16?

 

[McCaravan]

I bet the Mount Carmel fans have one with JCA at our stadium but I'll let them have the fun.

The 1993 game, McNabbs senior year, was bad but 1994 was brutal....I call it the “All the Right Moves” game as the ending was nearly exact to the game in Tom Cruise movie. I wasn’t there, but I read the articles and spoke to some witnesses and this is what I got...

MC gets an INT at the 3 yard line to cement, or so they thought, a victory with seconds left. MC lines up to take a snap and a knee and the QB fumbled the snap, JCA, got one more play and ran it in for the win as time expired...unbelievable.

 

[USD24]

The 1993 game, McNabbs senior year, was bad but 1994 was brutal....I call it the “All the Right Moves” game as the ending was nearly exact to the game in Tom Cruise movie. I wasn’t there, but I read the articles and spoke to some witnesses and this is what I got...

MC gets an INT at the 3 yard line to cement, or so they thought, a victory with seconds left. MC lines up to take a snap and a knee and the QB fumbled the snap, JCA, got one more play and ran it in for the win as time expired...unbelievable.

Absolutely crazy ending

 

[JAYC14]

Nope, JC beat Stl in week one. Lost to Pat's in week five. But our motto that year was "Play 14 games and win the last one"

UGH! Thanks for the correction.

 

[Topiary]

For Rice - seeing our D allow 40+ points let up in our losses were embarrassing. However those losses were to very good teams. Losing to Bremen when Pazan was QB was a tough one and any loss vs Marist for us is an embarrassment imo (the game Weisher and Nagel put up 51 was head shaking)

 

[MS4EVER]

Or losing to New Trier in ‘16?

Ohhh good one. Both years ended well. Hopefully we can say that about the Palatine loss this year!!

 

[goomsback]

Lord I have plenty but in '97 (my senior year, no I didn't play) ND lost at home to Bishop Mac in the quarterfinals after a 6 inch snowstorm and a taunting the snapper penalty in OT that let their kicker retake the Game winning FG. At least eventual champion Woodstock running clocked them in the semis.