High school football: Get results from all the 2022 state championship games
Scores and game coverage from the Illinois high school football championship games at Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Nov. 25-26. Read more here.
Class 8A: Loyola 13, Lincoln-Way East 3
Jake Stearney has long dreamed of a moment like the one he lived out Saturday night.
Stearney was a Loyola fan when he was younger, imagining himself in the uniform leading the team to glory.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “As kids, we grew up watching Loyola football. I remember going to all these games as a little kid hoping to be out there someday. Having a chance to win something like this comes once in a lifetime.”
Stearney, a Colgate recruit, made sure to take advantage of his once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. He threw two touchdown passes to Declan Forde to lead Loyola to a 13-3 win against Lincoln-Way East in the Class 8A state championship game at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.
Class 7A: Mount Carmel 44, Batavia 20
Parker Startz capped his breakout season with a team-high 11 tackles as Mount Carmel finished a perfect season by rolling to a 44-20 victory over Batavia in the Class 7A state championship game at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.
Blainey Dowling completed 25 of 40 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns for the Caravan (14-0), ending the season with a whopping 43 TD passes. Jimmy Deacy, Jaden Bossie and Damarion Arrington each scored two TDs.
Ryan Boe completed 16 of 31 passes for 148 yards for Batavia (10-4), including a 12-yard TD pass to CJ Valente.
It’s the 14th state championship in program history for Mount Carmel.
Class 6A: East St. Louis 57, Prairie Ridge 7
Class 5A: Nazareth 45, Peoria 44
Nazareth senior Zach Hayes was exhausted and feeling plenty of pain after playing receiver, defensive back and kicker on Saturday.
When the Roadrunners lifted the Class 5A state championship trophy, however, Hayes had no doubt it all was worth it.
Hayes came up with the championship-sealing interception with 59 seconds left as Nazareth pulled out a wild 45-44 win against Peoria in the state championship game.
Sophomore quarterback Logan Malachuk completed 15 of 27 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns and ran for two more TDs for Nazareth (10-4), which won its final eight games after a 2-4 start. Wisconsin recruit Justin Taylor ran for 108 yards and a TD.
It’s the Roadrunners’ fourth state championship and first since 2018.
Class 4A: Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin 44, Providence 20
Anthony Picciolini had a moment to remember Friday night for Providence in the Class 4A state championship game, catching a 4-yard touchdown pass.
The Celtics, however, could not keep pace with powerful Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin, losing 44-20 at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.
Lucas Proudfoot completed 14 of 35 passes for 208 yards, while Charlie Soltys finished with six catches for 136 yards for Providence (9-5). Billy Jones had nine tackles.
Class 3A: IC Catholic Prep 48, Williamsville 17
JP Schmidt has been around the IC Catholic program his entire life. He watched the Knights win four state titles from the sideline or the crowd.
On Friday afternoon, the son of IC Catholic assistant Bill Schmidt was in uniform to help bring home another championship trophy.
“It means so much to me,” JP Schmidt said. “I grew up around this program my whole life. In (2008), I was on the field with my dad when he won that state title. I was there for the three-peat (2016-18). I was at every game.”
JP Schmidt, a junior receiver/linebacker, had two interceptions, a team-high 16 tackles and a 74-yard touchdown catch as the Knights overcame an early 10-point deficit and rolled to a 48-17 win against Williamsville in the Class 3A state championship game at the University of Illinois’ Memorial Stadium.
