Knights tale has a happy ending

Immaculate Conception celebrates after beating Casey-Westfield 36-17 in the Class 2A football championship.
(Bradley Leeb/AP)

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CHAMPAIGN — A lot of history was made by Immaculate Conception. And the memory of a man who was a fixture in the program served as the inspiration.

I.C. became the first team to finish the regular season 5-4 and win a state title. With former coach Bob Cozzi’s name on their helmets, the Knights knocked off Casey 36-17 in the Class 2A title Friday at Memorial Stadium.

“We knew we would be able to make a run in the playoffs,” I.C. all-state lineman Matt Purdom said. “What we had to overcome was getting in the playoffs. I am so proud of being part of the first 5-4 team to win.”

A players-only team meeting after a 4-4 start ignited a six-game winning streak.

“We sorted everything out, why we were losing,” I.C. running back Paul Hornstra said. “It lasted two hours but after that, we turned it on.”

After fumbles stopped two early drives for I.C. and Casey (13-1) took a 3-0 lead on a 32-yard field goal by Clinton Scott, the Knights found their groove. A six-yard scoring run by Robert Peachey gave I.C. a 7-3 lead.

Then, an Erik Hansen interception and 37-yard return for a touchdown made it 14-3.

Before the half ended, Carlos Rodriguez (11 carries, 80 yards) added a nine-yard scoring run that capped a five-play, 70-yard scoring drive. The third PAT of the game by Jose Godinez gave the Knights a 21-3 lead.

Just before halftime, Dan Muisenga had the second interception of the first half for I.C.

An intentional grounding call in the end zone with 7:53 to play in the third quarter resulted in a safety and a 23-3 I.C. lead. After the kick, Hornstra (25 carries, 138 yards) scored on a one yard run to cap a 47-yard drive. Then junior Olivia Vatch kicked the PAT and became the first female to score in an Illinois football championship game to make it 30-3.

“When my brother was in eighth grade, I started fooling around kicking and some of the dads said I should do it seriously,” said Vatch, who said that Bears kicker Robbie Gould is her idol. “I just kept my head down and Matt and Will [Cronin the quarterback and holder] were awesome. I will definitely do this next year. It’s too much fun not to.”

Casey scored late in the third quarter on a five-yard run by Taylor Biggs. Hornstra scored on a 16-yard run for the Knights and Kaleb Brandenburg on a 14-yard run for Casey.

It was the second football title for I.C., which won the Class 3A title in 2002 for Cozzi, who passed away at 57 in April after suffering a heart attack.

“Our athletic director [Darren Howard] thought a sticker on our helmets would be a nice tribute,” Knights coach Bill Schmidt, an offensive coordinator under Cozzi said. “We feel like we are bringing him on the field with us.”

“I was a ball boy in 2002 and [Cozzi] showed us what the playoffs were about,” Purdom said. “He was the heart and soul of their team.”

What has many Downstaters in an uproar is the fact that the Knights played a regular-season schedule of one Class 6A school (Marmion), three 5As (Marian Central, Montini, St. Francis) and four 4As. Casey played three 1A schools, five 2As and one 3A.

And even with the enrollment multiplier of 1.65 for being a non-boundary school, the level of competition gave the Knights an unfair advantage. Once in the 2A playoffs, I.C. outscored its four opponents to get to the title game 178-50.