It’s hard to tell from the score, but St. Rita played well at Mount Carmel in Week 2. The Mustangs will have a solid season, but they are clearly a level below the Caravan.
That’s the case for nearly every team in the area. Loyola, Mount Carmel and Lincoln-Way East have carved out a special elite group at the top. And the Ramblers have been the cream of that crop for the past several years.
But is that the case this season? No one knows. Loyola has played just one game and is very young. The group that won three consecutive Class 8A state titles is gone. The program is built on coaching and numbers though, and both strengths remain. There are young stars developing as well.
Lincoln-Way East has gone out and proven it over two weeks, so the Griffins are up to No. 2 and Loyola drops to No. 3 in the Super 25 for now. I’ve now seen Lincoln-Way East and Mount Carmel play, and I’d say it is a toss-up which team is currently better.
Expectations raised
While Mount Carmel’s win over St. Rita was expected, it is unlikely anyone on the South Side was ready for Brother Rice to dominate host Marist 35-0 in the Battle of Pulaski.
Crusaders quarterback CJ Gray, an Army recruit, was 10-of-16 passing for 134 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and ran 12 times for 49 yards.
“This is a game that we’ve been looking forward to,” Gray said. “We just came out here and handled our business.”
It is the first win in the rivalry game for the Crusaders since 2021. Expectations are growing for Brother Rice, which is at St. Rita on Friday.
Hinsdale Central’s resurgence
Riley Contreras and Hinsdale Central’s big lines were on my mind in the preseason, but I just couldn’t pull the trigger and rank the Red Devils. The Super 25 was already loaded with West Suburban Silver teams and Hinsdale Central hasn’t been over .500 since 2021.
The early returns on the Red Devils are looking very good. They beat a solid West Aurora team in Week 1 and took down Naperville Central in Week 2.
Contreras threw for 235 yards and ran for three TDs against the Redhawks and linebacker Matthew Tomfohrde was a destroyer on the defensive side.
Hinsdale Central joins the Super 25 at No. 18 this week and has a major test against No. 5 Downers Grove North on Friday.
Baby Bronco
A new name popped up in Week 2. Barrington running back Lamar Osterhues, a sophomore, had 205 yards and three touchdowns in the Broncos’ 35-21 win against Hersey.
Osterhues ripped off a 52-yard run early and a 50-yard TD run late. Barrington has an excellent offensive line, led by Northwestern recruit Owen Fors. And it appears they also have a special young running back.
The Broncos joined the Super 25 this week after knocking off the Huskies and South Elgin to start the season. They are at No. 22 Glenbrook South on Friday
Contributing: Mike Clark