Loyola football using summer to mix new and familiar faces — including the return of a hall of famer

Borrowing from the European soccer vernacular, you might call this meeting of North Shore neighbors and rivals “a friendly.”

It was a joint practice and competition pitting Loyola Academy against New Trier on Wednesday, July 17, at Hoerster Field in Wilmette.

They didn’t keep score — the object of this contest was making one another better in preparation for the start of their respective seasons next month.

“It was good to go against someone other than ourselves who gave us different looks,” said Beau Desherow, who led the Ramblers to a 14-0 record and successful defense of their Class 8A IHSA championship last season in his first year as their head coach. “We hadn’t done a lot of situational stuff.

“I saw a lot of good teaching opportunities coming out of this.”

On the teaching front, Desherow has plenty of (familiar) backup.

Going into his second season as head coach Desherow has what probably is the best staff of assistants in Illinois high school football history.

John Holecek — who won more games than any head coach in Loyola’s history before stepping aside after 17 years and his third state championship season in 2022 — is returning as a volunteer assistant. He joins former Northwestern University coach Pat Fitzgerald (senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald’s father), who made his debut as a volunteer assistant last year, and a tried and proven cast of longtime assistants.

Back on the field, Desherow said, “The guys who have been playing well all summer at camp showed up today.”

Foremost among the returnees are senior running back Drew MacPherson and senior quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald — both University of Iowa commits.

In 2023 Fitzgerald completed 136 of 214 passes for 2,056 yards and 20 touchdowns and threw only one interception. He also was the team’s second leading rusher with 712 yards in 107 carries and 14 touchdowns.

Fitzgerald was at his best in the 28-16 victory over Lincoln-Way East in the IHSA Class 8A championship game, hurling two touchdown passes and running for the other two TDs.

Fully recovered after breaking his ankle in the 2022 season, MacPherson was the Ramblers’ top rusher with 855 yards in 155 attempts and 9 touchdowns and their second most productive receiver with 28 catches for 515 yards and 2 touchdowns.

“Anytime Drew steps onto the field there’s nothing he can’t do,” Desherow said. “He is a tremendous runner, he has great hands and he’s an extremely good blocker. Several times last year he laid devastating blocks on guys. He’s a great teammate and that shows up in his blocking.”

MacPherson is one of two outstanding senior running backs Desherow has at his disposal. The other is Luke Foster, who missed the 2023 season after with a knee injury. As a sophomore, he was promoted to the varsity following backfield injuries and played a significant role in Loyola’s drive to the state championship.

“Having Luke is back is great,” Desherow continued. “He’s going to be a big contributor.”

“My hard work (rehabilitating the injury) has paid off,” Foster said. “For the past two months or so I’ve been 100%. Being back is really special. I hope my hard work has inspired some of my teammates to see that if you put in the time you will be rewarded.”

Last year’s No. 1 receiver, Nicholas Arogundade, has graduated but the second and third leading receivers, Will Carlson (29 catches for 515 yards) and 6-foot-7 Brendan Loftus (19 catches for 240 yards) are back for their senior seasons. Another senior, 6-4 Conlon Kane, also has made a good impression during summer camp.

“Brendan and Conlon will create matchup problems because they’re going to be bigger than most defenders,” predicted Desherow.

During the 7-on-7 competition, Loftus made an impressive reception in the right corner of the end zone.

Also looking good was senior wide receiver Owen Joyce, who slipped away to make a reception all alone in the left corner of the end zone and caught another pass while under heavy pressure near the goal line.

Fitzgerald thought he and his teammates on the offensive unit got a lot out of the 7-on-7.

“It was good to see new defenses and schemes,” the quarterback said. “We had to adapt and it showed us things we have to work on.”

“It was fun coming out there and seeing new competition — especially since it was New Trier — after seeing our own guys every day,” Loftus agreed. “Today we were trying to make one another better and I think it will help us both down the road.”

From a defensive standpoint, the value of the New Trier matchup was less definitive because no tackling or linemen were actively involved.

Because of the toll taken by graduation, Desherow is reconstructing his defense. Based on what he has seen in practice safety Charlie Prior; linebackers Charles Daly, John Baum and Max Mendoza; and cornerbacks Michael Dooley and Michael Maher figure to be important components. All are seniors.

Unlike the Ramblers, the Trevians are coming off a sub-standard season that saw them finish with a 3-6 record and fail to make the playoffs for the third time in 17 years.

“At first we were nervous and we were dropping balls,” Trevians coach Brian Doll said in critiquing the 7-on-7. “We were playing against a team that won state last year and is still one of the best in the state. They play at a high level with physicality.

“As the night went on we got more physical and I was happy to see the way we turned it around at the goal line at the end. When we did our kids were competing at a high level.”

Wide receivers Dylan Benjamin and Baxter Keefer, quarterback Patrick Heneghan and linebacker/wide receiver Colton Berg made the biggest impact.

“Dylan is one of our best two-way players,” Doll said. “Last year he was a cornerback but this year he will be a safety and wide receiver. We’ve seen him grow during the course of the offseason. We want to use him as an offensive weapon. Tonight he had some great catches and Patrick had some good throws to get him the ball.

“Colton did a great job on defense tonight and made a couple of nice catches.”

The Trevians will begin the season at home on Friday, Aug. 30, against Naperville North.

The following night the Ramblers will open against 2023 6A second place finisher East St. Louis at a neutral site, Normal’s Hancock Stadium on the Illinois State University campus, the site of the state championships again this year.

“I think we have the toughest schedule in the state,” Desherow said. “The combined state championships of our opponents are in the 40s.”

Loyola Academy 2024 Football

Saturday, Aug. 31 — East St. Louis (N)

Saturday, Sept. 7 — Glenbard West (A)

Friday, Sept. 13 — St. Francis (H)

Friday, Sept. 20 — Brother Rice (H)

Friday, Sept. 27 — DePaul College Prep (A)

Friday, Oc. 4 — St. Ignatius (A)

Saturday, Oct. 12 — Providence Catholic (H)

Friday, Oct. 18 — Carmel Catholic (H)

Saturday, Oct. 25 — Mt. Carmel (A)

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