iHigh.com Chicago Football Players of the Week
WEEK 12 (Single person selection from this week on)
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Melvin Rice, Morgan Park - Fumble recovery for TD on first possession helped Morgan Park throttle O'Fallon 40-14 in the Class 7A quarterfinals. It was one of two first-quarter turnovers (Pagel Williams had a 64-yard INT to set up the other score) that put the Mustangs in the semifinals for the first time ever.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Brennan O'Boyle, Brother Rice - Completed 22 of 27 passes for 278 yards and two TDs to lift the Crusaders past St. Rita 28-26 and reach their first Catholic League tournament championship since 1994.
WEEK 11
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - David Williams, Harper - two TD runs in 30-8 beating of Hubbard in 6A playoffs. Win gives Harper first-ever state Elite 8 berth.
Defense - Sam Porter, Morgan Park - earned 14 tackles in 28-27 comeback victory at East St. Louis in 7A playoffs. Win gives the Mustangs first-ever 11-0 start and makes them just second CPL team to earn consecutive Elite 8 appearances in football (Hubbard 2000-01)
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - Nick Hoffbauer, Mount Carmel - three TD runs in 62-8 thumping of Dunbar in 6A playoffs. Caravan now 20-0 against Public League in state football playoffs.
Defense - Mike Schmidt, Mount Carmel - two punt blocks, sack in win over Dunbar
WEEK 10
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - David Maloy, Lincoln Park - Two rushing TDs in leading the Lions to a 26-0 shutout of Washington to win the Chicago Conference championship; first-ever major football title for Lincoln Park.
Defense - Hubbard - recorded seven sacks as a team to shutout Oak Lawn 7-0 in the first round of the Class 6A playoffs
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - Larry Dortch, Mount Carmel - scored game-winning TD in overtime to help the Caravan beat St. Rita 20-14 in the Class 6A playoffs
Defense - Patrick Brady, Fenwick - eight tackles in 8-7 win over Bremen in Class 5A playoffs
WEEK 9
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Rasheed Ward, Harper - 203 total yards, including 86-yd kickoff return, 57-yard punt return and 60-yard catch, all three going for scores in 58-0 crushing of Carver
Defense - Whitney Young - recorded 8th shutout of season with 24-0 blanking of Phillips; one away from city record of 9 by Lindblom (1925)
Special teams - Dennis Sanders, Dunbar - School-record 91-yard kickoff return for TD helped Dunbar beat Julian 48-40
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - Thomas Barrett, St. Patrick - 111 passing yards and 2 TDs in 26-6 over Marian Catholic, securing state playoff berth
Defense - Mike Klupstas, De LaSalle - game-high 13 tackles in 32-0 loss to Loyola
WEEK 8
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Steve Washington, Washington - 203 yards and two TDs in win over Amundsen; becomes first back to gain 1,000 yds in a Washington uniform since 2001
Demetrius Jones/Morgan Park and Couri Benz/Lane - became second pair of Public League QBs to throw for 300 yards in the same weekend (Alex Anderson/Bowen & Anthony Crenchaw/Bogan did it in Week 2)
Defense - Vincent Walker, Calumet - three sacks in triple overtime win over Englewood
Morgan Park - forced five turnovers in 45-0 shellacking of Dunbar to retain Prairie State division title; have outscored opponents 92-0 in last two division title games
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - D'Mari Moore, Gordon Tech - 208 yards, four rushing touchdowns in 39-19 win over Guerin
Defense - Joe Nee, St. Patrick - two interceptions in 34-7 beating of (LaGrange Pk) Nazareth, securing a state playoff berth for the Shamrocks
WEEK 7
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Israel Dean, Carver - 195 yards rushing and four TDs in 47-6 romp over Fenger
Defense - Sam Porter, Morgan Park - three sacks in 34-0 win over Simeon; Morgan Park 7-0 for first time in school history.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - Wade Weyer & Mike Kafka, St. Rita - combined for 204 yards and five TDs in 44-6 romp over De LaSalle; Weyer has eclipsed 4,000 rushing yards for his career and sits at 4,080 through this week
Defense - Pat Walsh, Brother Rice - two sacks in 10-7 win over Mt. Carmel; first 2-game win streak by B-R over MC since 1970s.
WEEK 6
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Rickey O'Neal, Brooks - second two-time POW mention for Public League; set school records of 36 carries, 281 yards and four TDs in 39-0 romp over Agri Sci that gives Brooks Intra-City South crown.
Brooks Prep - set modern-day Public League record of 28 first downs in a game against Agri Sci; second-best all-time in CPL behind 31 by Lindblom (1925)
Defense - Deon Flowers, Lane - two interceptions in 35-0 win over Mather; Lane 6-0 for second time in three years.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS
Offense - Mark Dietz, St. Patrick - 21 carries, 137 yards/2 Tds in 20-19 comeback upset of (Mundelein) Carmel
Defense - Brother Rice - held (Wilmette) Loyola to 16 runs of zero or negative gain in 22-0 shutout win
WEEK 5
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Joshua Blackwell, Mather - school-record 221 receiving yards [3rd-best all-time in Public League] in loss to Steinmetz.
Pierre Jones, Morgan Park - four TD runs in big win over Hyde Park
Defense - Anthony Jimerson, Corliss - first player in modern Public League football history to record 2 safeties in one game
Chicago Vocational - school record negative-57 rushing yards allowed against Bowen; second best in Public League history
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Nick Hoffbauer, Mt. Carmel: first two-time Player of the Week mention for Catholic League; 178 yards rushing and two scores in 49-7 thrashing of De LaSalle
Defense - Tim Kevin, Brother Rice: tackle on 2-point conversion preserved Crusaders' 20-19 upset victory over Providence; Rice's second straight victory over the Celtics
WEEK 4
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Sherron Collins, Crane: First two-time Player of the Week this season. Broke the Public League record for single-game receiving yardage with 250 against Carver (Jason Avant, Carver - 236).
Terrell Borum, Corliss: set school records of five rushing TDs and six total TDs in win over Fenger.
Defense - Matt Balducci, Brooks Prep: set school record with 18 tackles in win over M. L. King
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Tony Reyes, De LaSalle: scored game-winning touchdown in victory over Guerin Prep
Defense - Bernard Cooper, St. Rita: sack, fumble recovery and safety in rout of Hales Franciscan
WEEK 3
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Sherron Collins Crane: caught for 232 yards three scores in blowout win over Marshall. Receiving yardage misses Public League single-game record by four yards (Jason Avant, Carver - 236).
Defense - Pagel Williams, Morgan Park: set Public League record with four interceptions to key second-half surge in win over Harper.
Special Teams - Demetrice Williams, Hubbard: school-record 89-yard kickoff return one of three all-purpose TDs in win over Crystal Lake Central.
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Wade Weyer, St. Rita: Catholic League record-tying six rushing TDs in romp over Guerin Prep.
Defense - Tim Bax and Chris Williams, Mount Carmel: their interception returns for touchdowns made the Caravan the first-ever Chicago Catholic League team to record two interception returns for scores in a game.
WEEK 2
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Alex Anderson, Bowen & Anthony Crenchaw, Bogan: became first pair of Public League quarterbacks to throw for 300 yards and five touchdowns in the same weekend. Anderson threw for a school-record 386 yards and five scores in a 47-41 loss to Gage Park while Crenchaw hit the end zone five times with 317 yards in a 46-6 win over Kelvyn Park.
Defense - Julian: team set Public league record for rushing defense with negative-60 yards against John Hope, breaking last year's mark of negative-55 set by Morgan Park.
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Nick Hoffbauer, Mt. Carmel: the pre-season All-Area back had three TDs and 141 yards as the Caravan shutout Wheaton North 34-0.
Defense - Pat Walsh, Brother Rice: forced a fumble and intercepted a pass in the 4th quarter to help preserve a 27-6 win over Moline..
WEEK 1
PUBLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Ken Stubblefield, Amundsen: 22 total points (3 TDs, 2 two pt conversions) in 66-24 win over Ag. Science
Defense - Phillip Brown, Morgan Park: 15 game high tackles in 13-9 win over Mount Carmel, helping the Mustangs become just the third Public League team since 1958 to beat the Caravan in the regular season.
CATHOLIC LEAGUE
Offense - Wade Weyer, St. Rita: the pre-season All-State back had five TDs and 339 yards on 31 carries to spark a 35-0 second half burst as St. Rita overcame Homewood-Flossmoor 52-28.
Defense - Jake Oswald, St. Rita: forced a fumble by Homewood-Flossmoor's Freddie Barnes in the third quarter to set in motion a 35-0 run that helped the Mustangs beat the VIkings 52-28.
