PRZJordan’s 3A IHSA State Championship IC Catholic Standouts
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We have the 3A IHSA State Championship game being played between IC Catholic and Williamsville where both teams came into this game with only one loss on the season. Out of the gate, it was all Williamsville going up 10-0…
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Continue ReadingWe have the 3A IHSA State Championship game being played between IC Catholic and Williamsville where both teams came into this game with only one loss on the season. Out of the gate, it was all Williamsville going up 10-0 and controlling the game on both sides of the ball. After the first quarter, IC Catholic responded not with 7 points but 35 unanswered points. They then closed out the game with a 48-17 win to secure another IHSA State Title. With that being said, there are talented young men on both sides of the ball and we’re here to highlight on both teams. Without further ado, let’s dive into the IC Catholic Standouts.
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JP Schmidt
JP Schmidt
Mr. Schmidt was all over the place getting involved on both sides of the ball. He finished the gam with the following stat line: 16 tackles, 3.0 TFLs, 2 INTs, 1 PBU, 2 receptions for 82 yards & 1 TD. This young man was off to a hot start on defense coming away with 2 INTs along with 10 tackles and the PBU all in the first half. He did so by undercutting routes in the middle of the field to come away with the interceptions and when coming on a pass rush got his hands up to bat the ball down at the line of scrimmage. Throughout this game he was making open field tackles in the flat and being a force in run support not being afraid to lower his shoulder. Late in the game he was able to secure a catch in traffic and win over the top on a deep shot downfield for his TD. This is going to be a young man to watch next fall as he has another season left to go.
Mr. Mandala is at the helm of this dominant offensive attack and finished the game 10/17 for 200 yards with 4 passing TDs, 1 INT, 6 carries for 73 yards and 1 rushing TD. Talk about a stat line for the young gunslinger showcasing his dual threat abilities. When he runs the option, he uses his foot quicks to burst through the line of scrimmage to stay ahead of the sticks and was able to break a long run in the 4th for 6 late in the game. In terms of his passing ability, he can stand strong in the pocket to get the ball off under pressure to keep the chains moving by adding a touch on level 3 throws. What’s equally as impressive is how he can make throws in tight windows between two defenders as he threads the needle to keep the chains moving. Keep an eye on this young man next fall.
Highlights
Joseph Gliatta
Joseph Gliatta
Mr. Gliatta has been nothing short of spectacular for his team these last two games on both sides of the ball. He finished this contest with 8 carries for 30 yards, 1 receptions for 12 yards, 6 tackles, and 1.0 TFLs. On offense, he uses his hard downhill style running to stay ahead of the sticks and is able to get vertical quickly once he secures a halfback screen to keep the chains moving. On defense, he flows to the ball well and can close on the ball carrier quickly to secure open field tackles on the perimeter. All in all, this young man is another high potential young man that IC Catholic has on their team – their future is bright in this program.
Mr. Parker is by far one of the top players we have in the state in the class of 24. This young man’s playmaking abilities were on full display as he finished with 4 receptions for 86 yards with 2 TDs, 6 tackles, and 0.5 TFLs on the day. On offense, this young man can find the soft spot in zone coverage and gets vertical quickly once he secures the receiver screen to keep the chains moving. In one of his TDs, he secured a catch in the middle of the field and used his elusiveness to make a defender miss in open space before he broke a long run for 6 in the 2nd. On defense, he can play the alley well making open field tackles and can come down in run support where he closes in an instant to secure the tackle for minimal gain. To close out the half we got to see more of his closing ability where he blew up a HB screen sending the game to halftime. Safe to say that there’s a reason why this young man is a target for multiple P5 programs across the country and is poised to see his stock rise even further.
Mr. Karner works as a tight end that, in my eyes, has one of the highest potential ceilings that I’ve seen out of anyone in this state. He finished the night with a 25 yard TD reception and gets involved in-line blocking to create lanes for his teammates to hit. This young man has such a long catch radius to play above the rim and can secure contested catches on 50/50 balls with ease. What I’m very interested to see is when a team will take a shot on this young man. He has a good frame standing at 6’5 205, is a three sport athlete, and runs a 4.6 40 – oh and did I mention he’s only a Junior with one more hear of HS ball yet to go.
Mr. Gibson is electric, he doesn’t need many touches to make his mark on any game and that’s exactly what happened in this matchup. He finished with 10 carries for 138 yards with 2 TDs and 1 reception for 11 yards. This young man’s burst through the hole is impressive as he uses this to gain a step on 2nd level defenders and once he gets into open space he can use his foot quicks to break a long run for 6. His vision is one to keep an eye on as well as he can find running lanes quickly between the tackles and plays through contact by keeping his feet driving breaking weak grab tackles. When he does so he can get into the endzone for 6 as well. All in all, this is an explosive type of player that is going to be a great addition to The University of St. Thomas which is where he’s headed to continue to his football career.
Honorable Mention
Kaleb Ellis Kaleb Ellis 5'10" | 160 lbs | ATH IC Catholic Prep | 2024 IL 24′ DB
Jayden Sutton Jayden Sutton 6'2" | 230 lbs | DL IC Catholic Prep | 2023 State IL 23′ OL/DL
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