Macpherson and Carlson each score twice in Ramblers’ playoff-opening rout

Belleville East took a six-hour bus ride to Loyola Academy on Friday, Nov. 1, for an IHSA Class 8A first-round playoff game that was decided 6 minutes 52 seconds after the opening kickoff.

That’s when the 2022 and 2023 Class 8A state champions scored their first seven points.

The young Lancers never got back in the game. Final score: Loyola 48, Belleville East 6.

Highlighting the Ramblers’ most lopsided victory of the year were touchdown passes from Ryan Fitzgerald to Will Carlson, Gavin Vradenburg and Drew MacPherson; MacPherson’s touchdown run; an end-zone fumble recovery by Michael Dooley: Dom Maloney’s touchdown pass to Conlon Kane; and Carlson’s interception runback to the end zone.

“All week long in practice we keyed on one particular guy, No. 54, who we thought could be a game-changer,” said center Joey Herbert, referring to the Lancers’ 6-foot-2, 295-pound junior defensive lineman Jonathan Rulo. “We didn’t let him make plays. That gave Ryan time to have a great passing game, and Drew to do his usual great job of running the football.”

Loyola also played a stellar game on defense.

“We penetrated their backfield a lot,” said defensive lineman Chris Evangelides. “We fought off blocks to get in there and when they made an error we were right there to pounce on it, the way Michael did.”

While the 12th-seeded Ramblers (8-2) were wiping out their opponents, fifth-seeded Marist (9-1) was on its home field rolling over Glenbrook South, 42-14, and setting the stage for their second round meeting at Marist this upcoming weekend.

The date and time of the second round game will be announced Monday.

“You win, you go on to the next game, and it’s a real good Marist team,” said Fitzgerald, who completed 11 of 15 passes for 173 yards before getting the second half off. “We put up 48 points, which is a good sign, but we still have a lot to clean up so we can get better.”

Fitzgerald was echoing the words of coach Beau Desherow, who expressed his concern over his team’s personal fouls and other penalties that marred the Ramblers’ otherwise exemplary performance.

“It’s unacceptable and dumb,” the coach complained. “We’ve got to be smarter.”

On the other hand, Desherow was delighted to see the Ramblers on top 20-0 at the end of the first quarter: “We wanted to get off to a very quick start; they had a very long bus ride up here and we wanted to take advantage of that,” he said.

A case of bad judgement was so costly that it proved to be irreparable after the Lancers (6-4) opened the game by advancing the football to their 44-yard line. Confronted with a fourth-and-2 situation, they gambled and lost when sophomore Kingston Jones’ pass fell incomplete, giving Loyola enviable field position.

It took the Ramblers only four plays to capitalize. Fitzgerald threw passes of 11 and 32 yards to Kane and MacPherson, respectively, before losing a yard on a keeper. Then, he handed off to MacPherson, who took the 2-yard trip to the end zone and Zak Zeman kicked the first of his six extra points (one was blocked).

On their ensuing possession, the Lancers did a quick kick from their 27 on fourth down and the ball was downed at the Loyola 37. Seven plays later the Ramblers had their second touchdown on an 11-yard Fitzgerald pass to Carlson. Highlighting the drive were runs of 12 and 4 yards by MacPherson and Vradenburg’s receptions of 21 and 12 yards on passes from Fitzgerald.

Following a touchback on the kickoff, the Lancers were pushed back to their 13 when Jones was sacked by Thomas Ghislandi. A fourth down punting attempt went awry when the snap was fumbled and cornerback Dooley recovered it in the end zone for the TD that swelled the Loyola lead to 20-0 with 20 seconds to play in the first quarter.

With 5:29 left in the second quarter Belleville East managed to get on the scoreboard when junior Jaedon Beamon ran 9 yards for a touchdown.

Dooley blocked the extra-point attempt, Zack Holubar returned the kickoff to the Loyola 43 and the Ramblers went on another touchdown drive. The TD came on Vradenburg’s catch of a Fitzgerald pass in the end zone, a play that covered 5 yards. The two also collaborated on the big play in the drive, a 32-yard pass that advanced the football to the 9.

The Lancers were forced to punt on their next possession. Donovan Robinson’s runback to the Loyola 48 prefaced a six-play drive that saw Fitzgerald and MacPherson get the touchdown on a 12-yard pass after they teamed on a 19-yard completion earlier in the drive. Zeman’s extra point kick put the Ramblers on top 34-6 with 31 seconds remaining in the half.

“Coming off our big game at Mount Carmel (a 31-7 triumph that ended the regular season) the defense did a great job and the O-line didn’t let up one bit,” said MacPherson, who has rushed for nine touchdowns and caught six touchdown passes to lead the team in scoring with 90 points.

Like Fitzgerald, MacPherson rested on his laurels in the second half as Desherow called on his bench to put the finishing touches on the Ramblers’ seventh straight victory.

“We had the opportunity to get some young guys in and give them some playoff experience, which always is good in trying to build the foundation for the future,” Desherow said.

Fitzgerald’s sophomore reliever Maloney began the half by teaming with Kane on a 78-yard touchdown pass play on third down. It was the 10th TD pass of the season for Maloney and the fifth TD reception for Kane.

With 5:39 to play in the third quarter it was Carlson’s turn to get back into the scoring act. This time his touchdown came in his defensive role as a cornerback — a 48-yard runback of an interception that activated the running clock.

“Will is a gamer,” Desherow said. “Last year he was a junior starter on offense at wide receiver. This year he also has done a very good job when we’ve used him on defense.”

“I love being on the field, competing with my guys and the coaches are giving me tons of opportunities to make plays,” said Carlson, who has caught a team-high eight touchdown passes and now has a TD via an interception to add to his well-rounded Rambler resume.

“Getting a TD on both offense and defense in the same game is a new one for me but more than anything I’m happy that we won. I like winning more than anything.”

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