Joliet Catholic took its foot off the throttle the last time it played Nazareth, hanging on for a 38-35 win after leading by 31 at halftime.
But in a rematch with a trip to the Class 5A state semifinals on the line, the Hilltoppers could never quite get into gear. Joliet Catholic committed four costly turnovers as Nazareth captured a 35-21 victory Saturday afternoon in LaGrange Park.
“It’s like Murphy’s law happened,” Joliet Catholic coach Dan Sharp said. “Anything that could go wrong did go wrong.”
It sure seemed that way from the start.
The Hilltoppers (10-2) fumbled on their first play from scrimmage, setting up Nazareth’s 9-yard touchdown strike as Carson Bartels hit Christian Davis, who had recovered the fumble.
On Joliet Catholic’s next possession, Davis picked off quarterback Cade Earl and rumbled 70 yards for a score and 14-0 lead.
“This is the biggest game I’ve ever been a part of,” Davis said. “We made it a key to start fast. They start with the run, so if we stopped the run, it put them in bad situations.”
Nazareth (10-2) plays either Tinley Park (9-2) or St. Laurence (9-2) next weekend in a Class 5A state semifinal.
Joliet Catholic, which was looking for its 14th state championship, fell for the first time since a Week 8 loss to Benet.
“We came out and gave all we had,” Joliet Catholic offensive lineman Ze’Veyon Furcron said. “And that’s the best you can ask for out of a team.”
Joliet Catholic running back Michael Johnson, who’s being recruited by Northern Illinois, rushed for 144 yards on 28 carries. Johnson said he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to suit up against Nazareth after injuring his ankle last week.
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With Nazareth leading 28-14, Johnson tweaked his ankle again in the fourth quarter as he dove for the end zone. The ball popped loose, and Nazareth recovered, which took some pep away from the Hilltoppers’ sideline.
“I reached out and felt my knees down, and I reached out and let the ball go,” Johnson said. “I was arguing with the ref a little bit, but the ref said I wasn’t down yet.”
Joliet Catholic’s defense held strong on the ensuing possession, and the Hilltoppers got within one score when Earls made it 28-21 on his second TD run midway through the fourth quarter.
Nazareth, though, responded by feeding Notre Dame recruit Julian Love direct snaps. Love burst up the middle for a 77-yard TD with less than six minutes remaining to help seal the game. Love added a 66-yard TD reception and three tackles for losses from his spot in the secondary.
“The thing with Julian, he’s so good, he can pause, see the hole develop, and he’s gone,” Sharp said. “You can’t assimilate speed like that. I’ve coached football for 38 years, and he’s one of the best football players I’ve ever coached against, without a doubt.”
Logan Malloy is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.