Nazareth’s speed shocks Joliet Catholic

Updated: October 4, 2011 6:38PM

Joliet Catholic isn’t used to East Suburban Catholic teams getting off Interstate Highways 55 or 80, heading to Memorial Stadium to face the Hilltoppers and leaving with happy faces.

Nazareth knows what that trip is like. Before last Friday, the Roadrunners’ previous two games there were a 40-12 loss in 2008 and a 57-0 thrashing last season.

But Nazareth built a 17-0 halftime lead Friday with an effective running attack and a few opportunistic passes and held on for a 24-21 victory that put an unexpected downer on the Hilltoppers’ homecoming.

“We’re not going to feel sorry for ourselves,” coach Dan Sharp said of Joliet Catholic’s first loss this season and first ever to Nazareth. “We’ll get back to work. We’re Joliet Catholic. There’s always a target on us.”

Joliet Catholic (5-1, 4-1) has a target of its own — the Hilltoppers complete their regular-season home schedule Friday against Marian Catholic. Then it’s back-to-back road games against ESCC rivals St. Patrick and Marist.

With a 4-1 record before Friday, Nazareth didn’t sneak into Memorial Stadium under the radar, but the Roadrunners’ speed may have caught Joliet Catholic by surprise.

“They’re very fast,” Sharp said. “I don’t know if our guys realized how fast they were. It’s hard to work that speed in practice without running your first-stringers. You don’t want to get them beat up in practice.”

Kalium Ewing got behind Joliet Catholic’s secondary for a 45-yard touchdown catch with just 20 seconds left in the first half.

“That was a breakdown in coverage,” Sharp said. “We’ve been playing the pass very well all year. That was a big play to give them that extra score to go up 17-0.”

Wrapping up opposing ballcarriers is likely getting extra attention this week.

“We’ve got to tackle better,” Sharp said. “They (Nazareth) got a lot of extra yards after the first hit.”

Linebackers Mike Passo and Austin Bolton and defensive back Dominick Allen, the Hilltoppers’ leading tacklers, will spearhead that effort against Marian Catholic.

The front line

Joliet West has won back-to-back games over Joliet Central and Lincoln-Way Central with a running attack that features Ramarr Jordan and Kameron Hargrove and an improving offensive line.

Tackles Blake Sellers (6-4, 340) and Erasmo DeLacruz (6-3, 240), guards Collin Shea (6-4, 250) and Ryan Bolyn (5-10, 250) and center Edwardo Vargas (6-0, 270) are opening the holes.

“Coach (Jack) Rustman works with these guys all the time,” West coach Jason Aubry said. “He played for me when I was at Johnsburg. He’s doing some great things with the kids.”

Four — and counting

Lemont (6-0, 3-0) has kept four teams off the scoreboard this season, the latest a 21-0 South Suburban Blue victory Friday over Bremen. The Indians could claim No. 5 Friday against Hillcrest, the lowest scoring team in the conference.

Lemont plays at T.F. North Oct. 14 and finishes its regular season at home Oct. 21 against Oak Forest.

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