James Penley and his Nazareth teammates withstood a bad start before, beginning the season with four straight losses.
So Penley wasn’t fazed by a two-touchdown deficit in the first half of the Class 5A state championship game on Nov. 25.
“It’s really been having the mindset of having nothing to lose,” he said. “We barely scraped into the playoffs. People didn’t think we could keep winning, so we figured we might as well show that we are really good. We believed that we were one of the best teams in the state.”
That’s not debatable after Penley scored two touchdowns and had two pass breakups on the other side of the ball to spark the Roadrunners’ 38-20 comeback win against Joliet Catholic at Illinois State’s Hancock Stadium.
Nazareth (9-5), which has won nine of its past 10 games, became the first state champion with five losses in Illinois High School Association history by winning the 5A title for the second straight season. The combined record of the teams that beat the Roadrunners is 50-13, and each of those five teams won at least two playoff games.
“Even after losing the first four games, they were still buying what I was selling,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said.
Penley is one of those buyers. The 5-foot-10, 170-pound junior wide receiver/defensive back had seven catches for 163 yards and two TDs against the Hilltoppers (10-4), and he helped Nazareth’s defense bottle them up in the second half. Joliet Catholic rushed for 265 yards and led 20-7 late in the second quarter before Nazareth senior David Brunke kicked a 20-yard field goal as time expired.
“There was no finger-pointing at halftime,” said Nazareth junior defensive end Gabe Kaminski, who had 1 1/2 sacks, four tackles for loss, an interception and a fumble recovery. “We tried to find solutions, and we did. It all starts with the brotherhood and the love that coach Racki instills in us.”
That brotherhood is fostered by Penley. Racki noted Penley’s physical transformation since he earned a starting role as a freshman in 2021 but highlighted Penley’s leadership skills.
“He’s always looking to make his teammates better and challenge them and not be afraid to have hard conversations, which is what leaders do,” Racki said. “He is so driven and passionate about playing the game. He gets mad at me when we take him out to get his wind.”
Penley caught a 3-yard TD pass from junior quarterback Logan Malachuk late in the third quarter to pull Nazareth within 20-17, and his 52-yard TD on the next possession gave the Roadrunners the lead for good. On the latter, he caught a short pass from Malachuk and broke so many tackles on his way to the end zone that he was asked whether he knew the exact number.
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“I’d have to watch the film to see,” Penley said. “I just remember the ball hitting me and trying my best to get the first down.”
Penley entered the game with 65 catches for 992 yards and seven TDs. His straight-line speed makes him a preferred target for Malachuk, who completed 23 of 34 attempts for 414 yards and four TDs against the Hilltoppers.
“When you get the ball in his hands, he just becomes electric,” Racki said of Penley.
After the game, however, Penley was more interested in talking about the perseverance he and his defensive teammates showed, harking back to many junctures during the season.
“The two touchdowns were a blessing, and I was able to use God’s gifts,” he said. “But on defense, we fought tooth and nail in several games this year. It was about taking a deep breath and knowing we were still in it and all it takes is one big play on our offensive side.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.