As his first name implies, St. Rita’s Jett Hilding is willing to go a long way for success.
Off the football field, the senior quarterback drives 45 minutes to and from school every single day. On it, he can throw for distance or execute a two-minute drive.
All of that translates to success.
“Last year, we didn’t do a lot of driving,” Hilding said. “The only driving I did was in my car. Our offense wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be, and this year we’re changing that.”
Hilding did it all Friday night in a 42-21 season-opening victory over host Sandburg in Orland Park.
The 6-foot-4, 190-pound Hilding threw a 30-yard touchdown to junior wide receiver Jimmie Maxson in the first quarter, then put together a 60-yard drive with 1:39 left before halftime.
All told, Hilding threw for 80 yards and two touchdowns on 7 of 11 passing. He also rushed 12 times for 60 yards for St. Rita (1-0).
That performance held off a stout effort by Sandburg (0-1), which was led by Anthony Shelton. The junior quarterback threw for a pair of TDs and 160 yards on 10 of 15 passing.
Hilding, meanwhile, has come a long way for the Mustangs. He lives in Oak Brook, so his commute to and from school aren’t enviable. As a freshman, he attended Hinsdale Central, but quickly realized he was looking for more.
Enter St. Rita, where he transferred to for his sophomore year. His dad’s roommate went there and raved about it, and he knew he wanted to play in the CCL/ESCC.
That’s the logistical part, but there’s also a figurative part. His first varsity start as a junior against Mount Carmel was a forgettable 35-3 loss, but the Mustangs rebounded for a 10-3 record, a CCL/ESCC Green title and a trip to the Class 7A state semifinals.
“You go into that game with all the confidence in the world, and we truly thought we were going to come out on top,” he recalled. “You realize how much you need to work hard in practice so you can be better on Friday.”
Martin Hopkins is in his first year as St. Rita’s coach, replacing Todd Kuska, and he said that part of Hilding’s leadership ability has been making the transition into his new role much easier.
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“The one thing is, he’s a good sounding board,” Hopkins said of Hilding. “He’s made me more comfortable in the sense of letting him be an extension of the coaching staff, getting the guys together.”
That’s not all. Hilding’s opinion in regards to play calling is valued highly by Hopkins and offensive coordinator John Nee.
“We spend a lot of time talking about what we like and don’t like, and I think that’s one of the things I love about coach Hopkins,” Hilding said. “It’s been great to offer my input.”
Those traits are going to be necessary in the CCL/ESCC Blue, which includes a pair of 2022 state champions in Mount Carmel and Loyola and always tough Brother Rice.
The Mustangs also play a challenging nonconference schedule, featuring Kenwood and Joliet Catholic.
Another person who sees a high ceiling for Hilding is Kuska, who expects him to go even further this season than he did last year.
“He was a junior with a good group of seniors around him,” Kuska said. “He’s stronger, faster, bigger. I expect him to make a big leap.”
That leap could take Hilding all the way to the next level. He has his eyes on the Ivy League, especially Columbia and Dartmouth.
“I want to play football in college, anywhere I can play,” he said. “A lot depends on this year.”
Gregg Voss is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.