As a junior, St. Rita’s Vinny Stubitsch had the rare honor of playing a prominent role in two state championship games. And the experiences were polar opposite.
In December, Stubitsch caught just one pass at receiver as the Mustangs couldn’t get their offense going in a 16-0 loss to Brother Rice in the Class 7A final at Northern Illinois’ Huskie Stadium.
But in June, the second baseman homered and hit the winning sacrifice fly in a wild 12-11, eight-inning victory over Troy Triad to win the 3A state title — the baseball program’s first championship.
“After the football game, you are obviously hurt a little bit, especially losing to a rival of ours,” Stubitsch said. “Not performing well stings a little bit more.
“From the baseball standpoint, you know it was just … it just felt so good.”
As a senior, Stubitsch’s next mission is to help the football team enjoy that good feeling as St. Rita sits at No. 5 in the Daily Southtown preseason rankings.
Last season, Stubitsch made 20 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns for the Mustangs (9-5) and was relied on as a third-down receiver.
“We knew last year he was going to be special for us, and going into this year, he’s going to be one of our leaders,” St. Rita coach Martin Hopkins said. “You see what he did in the baseball program was pretty cool, too.”
Hopkins, however, didn’t get to see Stubitsch’s heroic ending in person. Hopkins was at the state championship game, which featured a rain delay, a false finish, Triad’s rally and extra innings.
But he left the game in the middle of the rain delay because of pain in his hip, which turned out to be a staph infection that hospitalized him for a week.
He watched the rest of the game on the phone in the Northwestern Medicine Palos Hospital emergency room.
“I was laying on the ER floor with my legs propped up,” Hopkins said. “I was in a bunch of pain. I wasn’t at the game, but I was following it.”
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St. Rita baseball coach John Nee, who also is the football team’s offensive coordinator, enjoyed watching Stubistch’s effort in person and is looking for even more in the fall.
“Vinny is one of those guys who has that aura about him and wants to be in the big moment,” Nee said. “He reminds me of Julian Edelman who can make big catches in traffic.”
The 5-foot-9, 175-pound Stubitsch, who is getting college looks in both sports, agreed with the comparison to Edelman, a former NFL receiver who starred with the New England Patriots.
“I’m that gritty wide receiver,” Stubitsch said. “I’m not the biggest, I’m not the fastest and I’m not the strongest. But I find a way to compete and win.”
Stubitsch comes from a family that took unique high school paths. His father, Ken, and brother, Will, went to Brother Rice. His sister, Hannah, went to Marist.
“There is a lot of bashing back and forth, for sure,” Vinny said. “Before the state championship football game, my dad was pulling for Rita, but I think my brother was secretly pulling for Rice.”
Stubitsch, Jake Sellis, Greg Zaber, Timmy Swanson, Jace Zlotowski and Nick Bubacz were on the rosters of both the football and baseball teams.
St. Rita has played baseball since 1923, appearing in the state championship game four times. The football team has been around since 1910 and has been to the state final five times.
Stubitsch appreciates the history that his teams are making.
“I just love to see that winning culture back here at St. Rita,” he said. “People say it’s been a little bit and that we’re almost there but hadn’t quite gotten there.
“But this past year has been cool to watch and especially, more important, cool to be a part of.”
Quick hits
Team: St. Rita.
2025 record: 9-5.
Offensive leaders: Brandon Johnson Jr., senior, running back; Greg Zaber, senior, offensive lineman; Vinny Stubitsch, senior, wide receiver; Mitch Street, senior, offensive lineman.
Defensive leaders: Jack Schapendonk, junior, linebacker; Kyle Keyser, senior, cornerback; Ohimai Ozolua, senior, defensive lineman; Timmy Swanson, senior, defensive back.
X-factor: Jake Sellis, senior, wide receiver.
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Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.