Last year, Lincoln-Way East beat Loyola Academy for Illinois’ 8A state championship. Saturday, the Ramblers upset LWE, ranked No. 48 in the High School Football America 100 national rankings, to return to their fourth straight state championship game.
The 24-16 victory moves Loyola into a rematch next week against unbeaten Brother Rice (13-0) in the state title game. On September 14, Brother Rice, who will probably move up to No. 1 in the new Illinois Top 10, beat the Ramblers 35-3.
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The loss snaps Lincoln-Way East’s 26-game win streak. Coming into the contest, East (12-1) hadn’t scored fewer than 31 points in a game. It also had allowed no more than 19 points in a game all season.
Loyola quarterback Jack Fallon tossed two touchdown passes. The Ramblers, who won their first and only state title in 2015, will enter the championship game with a 10-3 record.
