Jack Loper dropped a pass in the second half Saturday, Nov. 14.
Nobody will remember that one.
What people will talk about in the days, weeks, months and years to come is the senior running back’s 10-yard touchdown reception that helped send top-seeded Loyola to a 34-28 win over eighth-seeded Homewood-Flossmoor in a Class 8A football quarterfinal in Wilmette.
The Ramblers (12-0) play Palatine in the semifinals on the road at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 21.
Loper’s catch from senior quarterback Emmett Clifford was the exclamation point on a 19-play, 97-yard drive that put the Ramblers ahead for good with 4 minutes, 52 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
On second-and-goal from the 10-yard line, Clifford faked a handoff to the left, rolled to his right and hit the 5-foot-10, 210-pound Loper with a soft toss. Loper also ran the ball four times for 13 yards on the scoring series while starting senior running back Dara Laja was on the sideline with cramps in his left leg.
“It was awesome,” Loper said of his first touchdown catch in high school. “That’s all I can really say.”
It was remarkable, especially considering the quarterfinal game was Loper’s first since injuring himself in Week 2. On the first play in the team’s 49-8 win over Maine South in Park Ridge on Sept. 4, he broke the radius in his left forearm and tore his left bicep trying to break his fall following a running play.
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The initial diagnosis had Loper missing the rest of his senior season. He sought out a second opinion. Loper had surgery three days after the injury and was told he could come back, but it wouldn’t be until the quarterfinal round, at the earliest.
Loper wore a cast for the first several weeks and then participated in an intense physical therapy program, both at Loyola and at NorthShore’s hospital in Glenview. He concentrated on improving his range of motion and strength.
“It’s so rewarding to see what he’s done,” Loyola coach John Holecek said. “He had a great offseason. To break his arm that early and possibly take [away the season] from him was tough. His heart was broken. It was unbelievable to see him out there [Saturday]. It was almost poetic.”
Loyola offensive coordinator Tyler Vradenburg said Loper adds another dimension to the offense, although junior running back Kyle Rock was a suitable replacement during Loper’s absence.
“We definitely missed him,” Vradenburg said of Loper. “He’s so physical, athletic, smart. He understands the game so well. This was perfect for him. He defied so many people by coming back.”
Laja said Loper’s return was an “emotional lift” for the Ramblers, who rallied from a 21-12 deficit in the second half to advance to the Class 8A semifinals for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
“He means so much to us,” said Laja, who ran the ball 32 times for 152 yards and scored one touchdown. “It was unbelievable to have him back on the field.”
Even though Loper knew he would be playing the quarterfinal game after Loyola beat Stevenson 49-0 in the second round, he admitted the nerves hit him hard before kickoff. He finished the game with eight carries for 28 yards and two catches for 15 yards.
“Yeah, I was pretty nervous,” Loper said. “It still doesn’t feel real that I’m back, but I am happy that I am.”
Twitter: @harnesspreps