No one can accuse St. Joseph’s Prep of ducking teams. Sunday, for the third straight year, the Hawks opened the season on the road against a top-quality opponent – and for the third straight year, SJP came away with a victory.
St. Joe’s, ranked #10 in the latest High School School Football America Top 25, beat Mount Carmel, the #1 team in the latest Associated Press Illinois Class 7A rankings, 28-27 in the Catholic League Kickoff Classic.
Jack Clements completed 11 of 15 passes for 206 yards and two touchdowns, including the game winner to Penn State-bound wide receiver Jon Reid. Olamide Zaccheaus led the Hawks’ ground game with 112 yards rushing.
The Caravan had a chance to tie the game with 2:23 to go, but they missed the extra point.
Mount Carmel has won back-to-back Illinois 7A titles, which gives the Caravan 11 overall state titles. Last year, St. Joe’s opened the season with a win in Texas against Dallas Jesuit. The 2012 opened with SJP beating Cocoa on the road in Florida.
The Hawks, who play one of the toughest schedules in the nation, play New Jersey-power Don Bosco Prep on Saturday.
