ADVERTISEMENT

Your Favorite HS Football Team? Why?

Gene K.

Well-Known Member
Gold Member
Jul 14, 2016
1,376
1,972
113
78
Plainfield, Illinois
It is easy to see where some of the posters on Edgy Tim loyalties lie due to their particular name or avatars. Some fly under the radar with oddly formed names or avatars. So which HS football team do you root for and most importantly why. Alumni? Kids playing? What other HS football teams do you root for? Which team is your schools biggest rival?
 
  • Like
Reactions: JAYC14 and Q5clan
For me it is WWS I played there, my father was a football coach there and my kids will eventually go there.

I'm 40 years old and went to my first Tiger game at the age of 5, I have attended or played in approximately 300 games, hoping to be able to hit 500.
 
Last edited:
De La Salle. Worked here for the last almost 19 years. Two nephews were on the team and actually played. Heck, one was even All-CCL one year. This proved there is some athletic talent in the family :)

Even as an outsider, always thought the 'D' kids were a tough group that played with a lot of heart and embraced the role of underdogs very well. Graduated from one of our CCL rivals and never missed a game there as a kid. Wish them well, but my heart is on 35th and Michigan :)

Other schools that I enjoyed covering as a freelancer years ago: Argo (tough kids w/heart); Richards (tough kids w/heart; Korhonen great coach and excellent man); Minooka (loved small-town feel when covering games there once I figured out how to get there from SW Side of Chicago); Reavis (same as Argo - tough kids who played with heart).

I may add more if I think of it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K. and Q5clan
Chicago Christian. Legacy school for our family. My Mom and Dad graduated there in the 50's. Me, my brother, and sister all had the privilege to attend there. Married a CCHS girl. All of our kids attended there. When my Dad passed away this past March we asked that all memorial gifts be made out to CCHS Athletic Boosters. We love our school.

I also have a deep respect and admiration for the Chicago Catholic League. The history and tradition are unmatched.

Public schools. Wilmington has something special going on there. Again history and tradition.
 
My list of favorites:

1. Edwardsville (born and raised)

2. ESL aka EASTSIDE (lifelong fan and have tons of family, friends etc that are alumni... not a fan of all of the transferring though)

3. All other teams in the 618 area, especially the Southwestern Conference (close to home)

4. Pontiac (family)

5. Traditional powerhouse schools like Loyola, Lincoln Way East, Mt Carmel, Wheaton Warrenville South, Main South, Joliet Catholic, etc (fun to watch)

6. Any IL team vs any team from out of state (love IL high school football)
 
Any team that ever put 11 on the field I like.There are many no longer going such as St Francis De Sales,Weber,Mendel(from watching St.Laurence) as well as Luther South,Bloom,Bloom Trail,Joliet East,Kankakee Eastridge,Kankakee Westview.I root for any old Illini 8 and Sica schools.I grew up on all the ones mentioned.I’ll have to include Lincoln Way North & West on that as well as Lemont.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K.
1) Rice - played there under Mitch - class act guy - plus we have the BEST visitor stands in the nation
2) Mt Carmel - respect
3) Eisenhower - Disabato's school
4) Thornridge - Quinn Buckner
5) Highland Park - they're traditionally horrible in football but they have a great golf team
 
1 Montini went there and the overall experience is best there including talent, how close you can get to the field, the music, the concessions. Just can't beat it.

2 Driscoll another Christian brothers school. For a 10 year period was the most entertaining football I ever saw.

3 Naz relatives lived across the street, a whole lot of talent which is fun to watch, Racki, can get close to the field all around it, really like the neighborhood.

Public - Don't really have a team but follow any ex-Broncos, the teams relatives play on or kids of people I know.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K.
Willowbrook. Have 2 kids playing there now. Great coaches. Great student section. Great atmosphere on game day. Fans travel well!

Waubonsie Valley (Alumni)
ICCP

I just enjoy watching HS football...state championships are always fun to watch.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K. and Q5clan
1) Rice - played there under Mitch - class act guy - plus we have the BEST visitor stands in the nation
2) Mt Carmel - respect
3) Eisenhower - Disabato's school
4) Thornridge - Quinn Buckner
5) Highland Park - they're traditionally horrible in football but they have a great golf team
We don't even have visitor stands....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K.
JCA, played football there under Gordie & Jance (OL coach). JCA may have had only 2 OL coaches since the late 60's / early 70's, Jance and Douglas (both awesome coaches).

I root for most of the other CCL/ESCC teams when they are not playing JCA. I also root for Wilmington, Coal City, Bolingbrook (old conference foe) and there are probably many others.

1) Rice - played there under Mitch - class act guy - plus we have the BEST visitor stands in the nation
IDK anything about Brother Rice's stadium or seating, but Joliet Memorial has room for 5,000 in the visitor's stands alone and about 75-80% of those are very good for watching the game.

I guess you can do a comparison this Friday if you go to the JCA / Rice game. You may have to settle for the best visitor stands in your division of the CCL. :)
 
JCA, played football there under Gordie & Jance (OL coach). JCA may have had only 2 OL coaches since the late 60's / early 70's, Jance and Douglas (both awesome coaches).

I root for most of the other CCL/ESCC teams when they are not playing JCA. I also root for Wilmington, Coal City, Bolingbrook (old conference foe) and there are probably many others.


IDK anything about Brother Rice's stadium or seating, but Joliet Memorial has room for 5,000 in the visitor's stands alone and about 75-80% of those are very good for watching the game.

I guess you can do a comparison this Friday if you go to the JCA / Rice game. You may have to settle for the best visitor stands in your division of the CCL. :)
I miss the Illini 8
 
1. Neuqua - we live here and I have a son and daughter there now.

2. St. Francis - oldest boy went there and graduated in 2017.

3. Marist - my SS Irish wife had cousins there so I always had a connection.

4. Benet - sooo many neighborhood kids went there to play FB. Most have moved on so I don’t follow them as closely as I used to.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K. and JAYC14
— Joliet Catholic - grew up in a Catholic High family. Was on the 90 State Champs (4 years on the bench, but worth it). Helped out coaching freshmen football later. A special place!
— Saint Thomas Aquinas (FL) - lucky to coach freshmen football there, too - hence my “Kings Challenge” handle: AquinasHillmen
— Naperville Central - coached sophomore football for the RedHawks. Great kids, staff and community!
— Plainfield South - current teacher and head coach of the Boys Track and Field / Cross Country programs. Love this school, staff and kids. A growing positive culture of hard working kids on the west side of Joliet.
— Any school in the Joliet area (Joliet’s, Plainfield’s, Lockport, Minooka, etc.) - the older I get, the more success I want our whole area to experience.
 
Last edited:
Well....Mount Carmel of course! Funny story is I thought I was destined for Br. Rice. My two older brothers went there....two of my sisters dated BR guys, one is now married to a BR alum....it was a mile from my house....I took the entrance exam there....my Dad isn't from Chicago so he had no alliance to any school.....the thing is my two best friends were going to MC, a guy from my grammar school went there a year ahead of us and was killing it on the football team...I sincerely liked MC better off the open house. I liked the idea of leaving the neighborhood. BR and MC were on the same level football wise then, but MC was on the rise with Lenti taking over while BR lower levels just had rough years and it looked like they were going in the opposite direction....I finally worked up the nerve to tell my parents and family I wanted to go to MC....they thought I was nuts to want to go to 64th and Dante when I could get to BR in about 52 seconds in a car if we made the lights....but they agreed if that was I really wanted, they would support me.

It was the right fit...I loved every minute there. I would have seen the field more at BR, but I didn't care, I was there at the rise of MC dominate years and I had the ride of my life. We have some great pictures with my brothers in maroon and orange and me and in my brown and white! We'd do anything for each other but when MC plays BR, family ties are out the window and gloves come off for a week!
 
Catholic High, Marian Catholic, Lockport, Romeoville, Bolingbrook, Joliet Central, Joliet West and Joliet East.....Good times and fun rivalries!
Argo was there too from the start until 76 which was their last year in the Illini 8. and Kankakee Eastridge and Westview briefly.Other than just that one year 1979 I wish they let Marian and Joliet Catholic play in the Prep Bowls.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K. and JAYC14
1) Rice - played there under Mitch - class act guy - plus we have the BEST visitor stands in the nation
2) Mt Carmel - respect
3) Eisenhower - Disabato's school
4) Thornridge - Quinn Buckner
5) Highland Park - they're traditionally horrible in football but they have a great golf team

I'm under the impression that Pat Disabato went to Mt Carmel for a year or two.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bowie50
Neat little Illini 8 story.The last year it was going in 1981(Joliet Central originally was voted to be closed) they played a off balanced schedule in football.The Joliet public schools were serious about being $$$$ strapped to play athletics so it was going to be the Illini 5.Those schools scrambled to find games.Joliet Catholic played Thomas More Wisconsin,Romeoville played Rantoul,Bolingbrook played Hammond Indiana I think and Lockport played Griffith Indiana among other games.They at the last minute were bailed out and Joliet Central played only 7 games not being able to find week 8 and 9 games plus had to play Joliet East twice.East had to go nearly to Missouri to play Alton.East was originally excepted into Sica until they overturned the closing of Central.Sica did NOT want any Illini 8 teams as when they started Sica Sica wanted the Joliet Area schools minus the Catholics.They snubbed their nose at Sica and hard feelings were there.Lockport almost bolted for the UPSTATE 8.The Sica did not want to take the Joliet schools but with the Kankakee merger they had no choice.Marian,Lemont and Riverside Brookfield were all turned down for Sica.Morris,Minooka and Plainfield all considered joining what would have been the Sica Southwest conference
 
Sica insisted on making the schedules so they wouldn't let Joliet West,Argo,Joliet Central play games vs Joliet East.East had a great team in 82 which should have made the playoffs but had to play schools much bigger than they just to get games.They beat City playoff Gage Park badly as well as state playoff teams Aurora Central Catholic and Sterling!!! They weren't supposed to play the 5 teams that beat them.Argo,Joliet West,Ottawa,Joliet Central and Kankakee Westview was who they were supposed to go against but got changed.They would have won all 5 and gone 9-0 and into the playoffs
 
  • Like
Reactions: JolietWest89
Thank You for letting me ramble.1 other thing for crossbones.I remember in 83 the protest walkout by students because they changed the name of Bolingbrook to Valley View High School.Still the raiders but the mess hit the fan and they put it back the right way.I have a pic somewhere from the Sun Times with the new name up of the High School and angry students and parents.
 
My dad took me to my first Mt Carmel game in 1949 when I was four years old. The school was always special to my family. The Carmelites had given him a job as a janitor at the school during the Depression when there were very few, if any, opportunities for Irish immigrants.

When I was seven, we moved to 6342 South Dante -- a half-block from Mt Carmel (6410 South Dante).

As a first grader at St Cyril, I watched the Mt Carmel boys conga line through the neighborhood at lunchtime, chanting, "Go Carmel beat Leo" (or whomever.)

There was no doubt in my mind that I would attend any high school but Mt. Carmel. By eighth grade, we lived in West Englewood, and many of my classmates were headed to St Rita,

At the end of my frosh year, my family moved to Evergreen Park, and they all expected me to transfer to Brother Rice. Instead, I stayed at MC, and took three CTA buses for at least 90 minutes to get back and forth to school. I never regretted it.

Regarding Brother Rice, I have no problem with their visitors stands. My many trips there have been very positive, win or lose. The staff is very nice, the hot dogs are hot, and I can make a quick getaway on 99th street to the tollway. What can be better for an Irishman than a good parking spot?
 
Last edited:
Joliet West. I'm an alumni. I also follow Joliet Central (my parents went there) Lake View & Amundsen because I live near them, and Geneseo because one of my friends played for them, he's still mad about the play call when they went for 2 vs. Joliet Catholic in the 1990 state final!
 
Sica insisted on making the schedules so they wouldn't let Joliet West,Argo,Joliet Central play games vs Joliet East.East had a great team in 82 which should have made the playoffs but had to play schools much bigger than they just to get games.They beat City playoff Gage Park badly as well as state playoff teams Aurora Central Catholic and Sterling!!! They weren't supposed to play the 5 teams that beat them.Argo,Joliet West,Ottawa,Joliet Central and Kankakee Westview was who they were supposed to go against but got changed.They would have won all 5 and gone 9-0 and into the playoffs

thank you superac777 for the history lesson on the Illini 8! I had no idea the Joliet East Kingsmen in 1982 were that good. I was in grade school back then, that was a huge controversy over what school to close in Joliet. Ironically Joliet needs 3 high schools now.
 
Wilmington- Mom started working there the same year as Reents. Got to witness some great teams with Anderson and Wilkins before I eventually played there.

Like to root for CC as well. We never hated each other in high school just had a competitive rivalry. Have a lot of friends that live there.

Minooka- Got my first big boy job out of college there and still work there to this day. Know a lot of the kids and families.

Oh! I had to edit because I forgot to mention my love of teams with obscure mascots. Freeport, New Berlin,Hoopeston, Centralia, Fisher, Plano, LOL anybody with something different I like to see get a win!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Gene K.
LINCOLN WAY EAST! My son played there, can’t say enough what a great experience that was for him and us, and how AWESOME the coaching staff, led by Coach Zvonar and Coach Pallisard is. He’s graduated but I have a Varsity cheerleader to watch now, and they are the best in the state. On top of that, you get to see the state champion band perform at all the games. Best Friday Night around (although I’m super jealous of Oswego’s concession line up!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Bowie50 and Gene K.
I'm telling you that taco truck is legit. Lady sold 72lbs of steak alone at the last game (not including chicken and pork). That being said, when we played LWE two years ago in the playoffs, I was nothing but impressed with the college atmosphere, the flyby with the helicopters and the play on the field. Most of our underclassmen were there and I think it showed them the level they need to raise their play to.
 
I'm telling you that taco truck is legit. Lady sold 72lbs of steak alone at the last game (not including chicken and pork). That being said, when we played LWE two years ago in the playoffs, I was nothing but impressed with the college atmosphere, the flyby with the helicopters and the play on the field. Most of our underclassmen were there and I think it showed them the level they need to raise their play to.
I went to a Catholic HS in Chicago with a total enrollment of 50 kids! These Friday nights blow my mind! But I also enjoy all the away games too, and if we ever make it to Oswego, I’m coming with an empty stomach and a full wallet, lol!
 
ADVERTISEMENT