Brother Rice’s dominant defensive line, led by soph Kam McGee, shuts out St. Rita to win Class 7A

DEKALB, Ill.— Way back in the summer, when the high school football season was just getting started, there was a buzz around Brother Rice’s defensive line.

Seniors King Liggins (Illinois) and Michael Fitzgerald were expected to combine with junior Brayden Parks and sophomore Kameron McGee to form the area’s most impressive overall unit.

There were no ups and downs and dramas over the course of the season. The Crusaders’ defensive line went out and did exactly as everyone expected. They dominated. That high-level of play continued on Wednesday in the Class 7A state championship game at NIU’s Huskie Stadium.

Brother Rice shut out St. Rita 16-0 to win the school’s first state title in 44 years. The Crusaders won the 6A title in 1981 and lost championship games in 2018 and 1985.

McGee blew up several of St. Rita’s offensive plays on the opening drive and spent the game showcasing why he’s considered one of the best players and college prospects in the country. He finished with six tackles, two sacks and 4 TFLs. Parks had six tackles and 3.5 TFLs.

“We have the best defense in the country,” McGee said. “All these guys bought in. January 6th at 6 a.m. That’s when we first started and now it is December. We stuck together and we picked each other up.”

Brother Rice (13-1) scored on its opening drive. Quarterback CJ Gray, an Army recruit, ran in for a six-yard TD halfway through the first quarter.

Bad luck struck St. Rita (9-5) a few minutes later. While grabbing the snap on a punt, the Mustangs punter put one knee down in the end zone for a safety. That put Brother Rice up 9-0 and was all it would need.

The Crusaders sealed the win with 4:10 left in the game when Gray connected with Collin Goggin for a 9-yard TD pass.

“I got close with CJ these last four years,” Goggin said. “I look at him as another one of my brothers. To get to do that was one of the best moments of my life. To do that with him and celebrate with him.”

A similar feeling spread all across the Brother Rice sideline after that TD.

“That was the greatest moment of my life,” Liggins said. “I know we still had a job to finish but that was a special feeling.”

St. Rita finished with 117 total yards. Running back Brandon Johnson Jr. had 13 carries for 54 yards. Quarterback Steven Armbruster was 12-for-29 for 97 yards. The Mustangs threatened to score just once, midway through the fourth quarter. They missed a 42-yard field goal with eight minutes left.

Jaylin Green had 23 carries for 104 yards for Brother Rice. Gray was 5 of 12 for 13 yards with on TD and had 16 carries for 82 yards.

Two South Side Catholic school rivals meeting in the state championship game provided a unique atmosphere that not even the weather, or the rescheduled date and venue could spoil.

“You look out in the stands and you know almost everyone out there,” St. Rita coach Martin Hopkins. “A lot of the kids on both teams went to grammar school together.

“It speaks to the caliber of football, the caliber of players and coaches. The South Side cares a lot about their high schools and they care a lot about their football. It’s good to see these guys getting the reward of being here at the state championships.”