Loyola defense, TE Collins step up after early Ignatius TD

The unconventional triple-option offense used by St. Ignatius at the start of Saturday’s game seemed to confuse Loyola Academy’s defense, and the Wolfpack capitalized by striking for a 65-yard touchdown pass play from junior Reid Hites to his senior brother Charles Hites with just two minutes elapsed.

But the undefeated Ramblers quickly perished the thought that an upset might be in the offing.

They drove 68 yards in five plays and tied the score when Melo Maldonado ran 9 yards for a touchdown and Ryan Edwards kicked the extra point.

On its next possession St. Ignatius penetrated to the Loyola 23 but then the drive was halted and ended with a missed field goal.

From then on it was all Loyola. A 7-yard pass from Matthew Lee to fellow junior Aidan Collins climaxed an 80-yard scoring drive, giving the Ramblers the lead 59 seconds into the second quarter.

The team that’s ranked second in the metropolitan area by the Chicago Tribune scored two more second-quarter TDs and went on to overwhelm the 13th ranked team 38-7 before a jubilant Senior Day crowd in Hoerster Field.

“They have a real good triple option and we had to focus and keep everything under control,” said senior linebacker Will Mettee.

“Answering them early after they scored was a huge part of it,” said Lee, who wound up with 17 completions in 22 attempts for 296 yards and 2 touchdowns and added another TD when he rammed across the goal line from the 1 (for Loyola’s third touchdown). “And then our defense shut them out the rest of the way.”

Maldonado scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard run in the second quarter and his third on a 12-yard pass from Lee in the third quarter.

“They have an unorthodox offense and a defense that’s also unorthodox,” said the junior running back, who rushed for 95 yards in 14 carries. “All week long our scout team gave us a great look at what they do. Our scout team was dialed in all week. They definitely were a reason why we won.”

Like Lee and Maldonado, junior receivers Jordan McKinley (5 catches, 116 yards) and Collins (7 receptions, 151 yards) made a major impact for the Ramblers (7-0) in the victory over the Wolfpack (5-2).

Collins wasn’t on the VIP list going into the season but injuries to senior tight ends Brendan Fitzgerald and Charlie Fowler brought him to the forefront.

“Aidan (originally listed as a wide receiver) had to step into a big role with Brendan out at the start of the season and then Charlie going down,” Lee pointed out.  “We had to change some things around and he came in and responded.”

“I had the opportunity to step up and I feel that I’ve contributed,” Collins said. “I felt this was my most productive game.”

Edwards kicked all five extra points and put the finishing touches on the compelling conquest with a 33-yard field goal with 6:52 to play.

An unsung contributor to the Loyola success story has been defensive lineman Hunter Wahtola, who transferred from DePaul College Prep to spend his senior season with the Ramblers.

“They usually don’t take junior transfers, but I was given the opportunity to help make a good defense into a great defense,” Wahtola said. “I was welcomed with open arms at summer practices. During the summer I was able to improve and be the best player I can be.

“The season definitely has lived up to my expectations.”

Two games remain in the regular season: on Friday night in Elmhurst against unbeaten Immaculate  Conception (7-0), the team ranked fifth in the area by the Tribune; and back at Hoerster Field on Oct. 16 against fourth-ranked Mount Carmel (5-2), the team that last season won the IHSA Class 8A championship, ending the Ramblers’ three-year reign.

“Those two games are really important,” coach John Holecek emphasized to his players after the St. Ignatius game.

“That’s a really good game you just played against a team we may see in the 8A playoffs but we hope not to.

“Stay humble and be hungry.”

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