Copyright Shaw Local Enewspapers
For as long as its had football programs, the All-City area of Bishop McNamara, Bradley-Bourbonnais and Kankakee has seen plenty of football success, but rarely all at the same time. Not only did the three programs provide that this season, they provided a season that will go down in the local record books. The 2025 season was the first one in which all three schools won a playoff game in the same year and their collective 26 wins was the second-most the three schools have combined for in a season. All three saw their seasons end against CCL/ESCC foes over the weekend, but not before each program was able to make major marks on their respective programs. Not only were the Boilermakers a part of collective local history, but their own school history. They continued their recent upward trend by sharing the red division of the Southwest Valley Conference after a late-season upset of Lincoln-Way West on their way to a 9-2 season. In their fourth straight postseason for just the third time in school history, their first-round win over Shepard gave the program at least one playoff win in three straight years for the first time ever. At Bishop McNamara, the Fightin’ Irish went 10-1 and reached the postseason for the first time since Illinois Sports Hall of Fame coach Rich Zinanni retired following the 2021 season, ending the longest playoff drought the program’s ever seen. Under first-year coach Greg Youngblood, the Irish went 9-0 for the first time since 1998 and won the Chicagoland Christian Conference for their first conference title since winning the white division of the Chicago Catholic League in 2011. The Kays’ 7-4 record might not be the most impressive at a quick glance, but when taking a dive into their season, impressive it is. After an 0-2 start with losses to a pair of defending state champions in Nazareth and Lincoln-Way East, Kankakee rattled off a six-game winning streak, highlighted by an improbable second-half comeback at Normal Community. Despite losing quarterback Phillip Turner to injury in the regular season finale, the Kays were able to rally defensively for a first-round win over Lemont and spent much of the second half of last Saturday’s loss to Providence just a field goal behind. As they welcomed former defensive coordinator Ed Hazelett back as head coach, the Kays showed their recent upswing into one of the state’s best mid-sized programs is anything but over. Quick recap Here are the Daily Journal area’s scores from the second round of the playoffs: St. Laurence 35, Bradley-Bourbonnais 21 (Class 6A) Providence 35, Kankakee 25 (Class 5A) IC Catholic 37, Bishop McNamara 27 (Class 3A) Coal City 49, Dixon 42 (Class 4A) Wilmington 42, Seneca 0 (Class 2A) Dwight 43, Clifton Central 14 (Class 1A) Polo 46, St. Anne 14 (I8FA) Death, taxes and Wilmington and Coal City in the quarterfinals Two of the area’s most historically prolific playoff programs will go down in 2025 as the two to make the area’s longest postseason push. Both Coal City and Wilmington earned second-round wins and are back in their familiar quarterfinal settings, although both got there in different ways. The Wildcats left little doubt at Seneca in their running clock win, tallying over 400 rushing yards in a game that saw five different players score touchdowns. They’ll now turn their attention to the same Tri-Valley program they’ve seen in each of their first three Class 2A journeys from 2021-23. The Wildcats won two of those matchups on their way to state championships in 2021 and 2023. Coal City faced off against Dixon for the second straight postseason, both games that went the Coalers’ way by a touchdown. But unlike last year’s defensive-oriented quarterfinal, this year’s was as zany as a shootout can get. But in the end, the brilliant air attack led by Connor Henline and a bruising ground game from Logan Natyshok – who also caught a pair of long touchdowns – and their behemoth offensive line did enough to hold off the Dukes’ late surge. The Coalers will now face Montini, the defending Class 3A champions, this weekend. Clifton Central, St. Anne end seasons The two programs immediately south of Kankakee, Clifton Central and St. Anne, each had their marvelous nine-win seasons end in road climates on Saturday. A handful of turnovers and a blocked punt that went for a touchdown led to the end of the Comets’ season to a Dwight team that’s celebrating history of its own, the Trojans’ first back-to-back quarterfinal seasons. The Comets saw Brady Shule rewrite the single-season passing record books, setting new program highs in passing yards (2,364) and touchdowns (33). While most programs would struggle in the first year after losing a Hall of Fame coach like the Comets did with Brian Spooner, Clifton Central did anything but struggle in Jeff Perzee’s first season. St. Anne revived its football program after almost 50 years in 2023, and after reaching the Illinois 8-Man Football Association Playoffs last year, not only did the Cardinals make their second-ever postseason appearance this year, but their 9-2 record set a new program wins record for the second straight season. A senior-heavy core that has made up a healthy chunk of the roster since the program came back will graduate, leaving head coach Alan Rood with plenty of holes to fill. But with the culture the Cardinals have quickly built, they will expect to stay relevant as a new wave rolls through St. Anne. Weekend’s best Here are the Daily Journal’s passing, rushing and receiving leaders from the second round of the playoffs: Passing Connor Henline, Coal City: 12 of 23, 307 yards, 3 TDs Karter Krutsinger, Bishop McNamara: 179 yards, 2 TDs, 2 INTs Cedric Terrell III, Kankakee: 10 of 25, 157 yards, TD, 2 INTs; 89-yard KO return TD; 59-yard INT return TD Brady Shiule, Clifton Central: 16 of 34, 123 yards, TD, 4 INTs Grant Pomaranski, St. Anne: 8 of 25, 88 yards, 2 TDs Rushing Ky’ren Edmon, Bradley-Bourbonnais: 144 yards Logan Natyshok, Coal City: 32 carries, 131 yards, 3 TDs; 3 receptions, 168 yards, 2 TDs Billy Moore, Wilmington: 10 carries, 102 yards, TD Malachi Lee, Bishop McNamara: 7 carries, 74 yards, TD; 33 receiving yards Hunter Kaitschuck, Wilmington: 8 carries, 69 yards, TD Receiving
