Pregame Prep: Background, stats and more for Loyola Academy versus York in the 8A football championship

JUMP TO: STATISTICS | ON THE FIELD

The IHSA Class 8A football bracket has seemingly been a tussle between Loyola Academy and Lincoln-Way East in recent years. But another program has not been far behind.

For the third straight season, York Township High School has advanced to at least the bracket’s semifinal round, and this year, the Dukes are in the title game for the first time in program history.

While the territory will be new for York, the opponent will not. The Dukes and the Ramblers will meet on Saturday, Nov. 30, for the third consecutive postseason, with Loyola taking the previous two matchups along its path to back-to-back 8A crowns.

First-year York head coach Don Gelsomino knows it will take a special effort on Saturday.

“They are two-time defending 8A champs for a reason,” Gelsomino said of the Ramblers during a media call on Nov. 25. “They are just an all-around good football team. We’ve played them the past two years, so we are familiar with the schemes, familiar with the kids. … They are tough kids, they go to the whistle, and they do it the right way. It’s good, clean football. It’s great to watch.”

York is one of the oldest football programs in the state, competing in its inaugural season more than a century ago (1920). The Dukes first reached prominence in the 1980s and were playoff regulars in the 1990s under Gary Grouwinkel (108-63 in 17 seasons) and the 2000s under Bill Leach (51-23 between 2005-’12). York then hit a rough patch with eight straight losing seasons before Mike Fitzgerald righted the ship in 2021 (8-2). The Dukes were 12-0 when Loyola beat them in the 2022 8A semis and 10-1 when the Ramblers got them again in the 2023 quarters.

Loyola has a 84.7 winning percentage (210-38) across its last 19 seasons, qualifying for the playoffs every season and advancing to nine state-title games with victories in 2015, 2018, 2022 and 2023. The program won its first back-to-back state titles last year and looks to add to its historic run. Desherow, a longtime Loyola assistant coach, took over for coach John Holecek prior to the 2023 season and will coach in his second state-championship game in as many years.

This season, York jumped out to a 5-0 mark highlighted by wins over playoff teams Glenbrook South (5-5) and Downers Grove South (8-3). The Dukes then lost two of their next three to league foes Downers Grove North (35-14) and Lyons (24-7). Since, they have figured things and have won five straight, including back-to-back impressive playoff victories: 35-17 against Warren on Nov. 15 and 20-15 against Naperville Central Nov. 23.

Starting the season with a 19-game winning, the Ramblers were roughed up, 34-7, by national power East St. Louis in their opener. Then, without starting quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald, the Ramblers fell 35-21 to St. Francis in Week 3. After that, however, Loyola picked apart its robust schedule, ripping off six straight wins to end the regular season, including rousing victories over fellow state finalists DePaul College Prep (4A) and Mount Carmel (7A). The Ramblers’ no-doubt biggest win, though, came on Saturday night against the bracket’s top seed and previously unbeaten Lincoln-Way East.

BY THE NUMBERS

On the field

Loyola Academy’s offensive attack leaned pass (2,379 pass yards vs. 1,837 rushing yards) for much of the season; however, in the past few weeks, and especially during their playoff run, the Ramblers have committed more to their ground game led by All-State back Drew MacPherson.

Head coach Beau Desherow said the development of the team’s offensive line and improved health of quarterback Ryan Fitzgerald, who injured his hamstring in Week 2, have helped the rushing attack take off.

The offensive line is led by senior returners Joey Herbert and Tyler Isaacson, while 2024 newcomers Colin Vardijan, Declan Winger and Tommy Fraumann have formed a formidable group on the line of scrimmage that has helped spring MacPherson to more than 1,000 yards rushing (1,700 total yards) and 13 scores (19 total).

Gelsomino praised MacPherson and said his defense must be sharp.

“Hopefully we tackle him a few times,” the York coach joked. “We have a saying here: You have to play within your system. We have adjustments we can make, but we can’t change everything we do for one player. Drew MacPherson is an incredible football player, but we still have to play within our system. And that makes us comfortable.”

Fitzgerald has followed up his All-State junior campaign with another special year behind center for Loyola. He has thrown 22 touchdowns to just two interceptions while missing more than two games with a hamstring injury. The University of Iowa commit (preferred walk-on) also increased his rushing attempts in the past two weeks, gaining 70-plus yards in the Ramblers’ semifinal win against the Griffins.

Fitzgerald spreads the ball around. Five Ramblers have more than 20 catches, including MacPherson (56 catches for 678 yards) and Gavin Vradenburg (44 for 497, 5 touchdowns). Will Carlson has eight touchdown catches and Conlon Kane six, while senior Brendan Loftus is a Division I tight end.

On defense, Loyola is again led by a senior-heavy linebacking corps, including leading tacklers Charlie Daly and Max Mendoza. Defensive lineman Tommy Ghislandi is the team’s top pass rusher, while interior lineman Kai Calcutt has returned from injury to help slow opposing rushers. The defensive backfield has top-end talent in Washington commit Donovan Robinson, while safeties Micky Maher and Charlie Prior have made big plays all season for Loyola.

The entire unit will be needed to slow an extraordinary Dukes’ ground attack. York has two 1,000-yard rushers — quarterback Bruno Massel (1,097) and running back Henry Duda (1,037) — and another 700-yard back (Jimmy Conners). The three-haded monster has combined for 36 rushing scores.

Massel has succeeded plenty when he’s needed to throw the ball as well, racking up 1,461 passing yards and 11 touchdowns.

“To make it to the state championship, you have to be a talented team and a very battle-tested team,” Desherow said of York. “What I see from them is a team that has the ability to run the football with a running back who is good and a quarterback who is very fast and physical. The challenge for us is to stop the run game and get them into predictable passing situations.

“They are a complete team and it’s going to take a complete effort.”

Both Loyola and York score 30+ points per game and allow about 15 points per game. The Dukes defense is led by University of Notre Dame commit Joe Reiff on the defensive line and Evan Gaughan (116 tackles, 21 tackles for loss, 8 sacks) and Conners (77 tackles, 3 interceptions) as interior linebackers.

Loyola and York is the finale in a weekend of eight IHSA football championships at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal. The 8A title bout is scheduled to kick off at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 30. It will be streamed online via the paid service NFHS network and on WCIU on your television screens.

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