Week 2 takeaways: Geneva’s Bennett Konkey and Mount Carmel’s receivers dazzle; Loyola’s time to earn No. 1

It was supposed to be the year of the quarterback in Illinois high school football, but so far the receivers are stealing the show.

Geneva receiver Bennett Konkey posted so many highlight plays against Oswego on Friday that it is difficult to decide which moment was the most impressive.

Konkey is one of the fastest players in Illinois high school football. He’s a state champion track star, and that burst was on display when he sped past half of Oswego’s defense for a 53-yard TD.

Konkey out-leaped Iowa State recruit Dontrell Young to grab a 38-yard TD and even threw a key pass, finding quarterback Ben Peterson on a two-point conversion late in the game.

Geneva lost to Oswego, but Konkey opened eyes for the second consecutive game. The Illinois recruit finished with 10 catches for 217 yards with four touchdown catches, all for 27 yards or more.

Konkey had 178 receiving yards, two touchdown catches and a kick return TD in the Vikings’ Week 1 win against Libertyville.

“We just competed with the second-best team in 8A last year,” Konkey said. “That shows something about us as a football team.”

More receivers sparkling

Quentin Burrell and Marshaun Thornton, Mount Carmel’s highly-regarded receiver duo, earned raves in Week 2 for their parts in dragging the Caravan back from a 30-0 deficit to beat St. Joseph Regional, N.J.

Burrell, a Michigan recruit, had seven catches for 85 yards and three touchdowns. Thornton caught a pair of touchdowns.

Thornton, a 6-2 junior, has offers from Auburn, Notre Dame, LSU, Miami and all the prominent Big Ten schools. He also punts for the Caravan and occasionally throws passes on trick plays.

“The sky is the limit for Thornton,” Mount Carmel coach Jordan Lynch said. “He can play every position on the field and be the best at it. And he plays hard. He takes scout team reps just to help out the team.”

The big-play ability of Burrell and Thornton has made a few Caravan quarterbacks look very good over the past few seasons. Mount Carmel quarterback Brady Cloherty threw seven touchdown passes on Friday, breaking the school record held by Jack Elliott, who did it twice in 2024 and Jack McBride, who managed it in 1968. It was Cloherty’s first start for the Caravan.

Time to prove it

Loyola ascended to No. 1 last week and held on to the ranking after beating Indianapolis Cathedral in Week 2. But the Ramblers have been out of the local spotlight overall.

That changes this week. Loyola hosts St. Rita and Brother Rice over the next two weeks.

Junior quarterback Matthew Lee was excellent against Cathedral, finishing 21 of 26 passing for 297 yards with three touchdowns and one interception.

Lee shared the job with Dom Maloney last season but appears to have taken it over fully this year. Maloney is still making a major contribution for the Ramblers. The senior now starts at safety. He had a long punt return and a key interception late in the game against Cathedral.

Coaching milestones

Wilmington knocked off Morrison 48-0 in Week 2 to give coach Jeff Reents his 300th career win. Reents is just the 10th coach in state history to reach that mark.

Maine South coach Dave Inserra picked up his 250th career win in the Hawks’ win against Warren on Friday.