It was an uncharacteristically tough week in the state playoffs for the Class of 2022. Just two commits advanced to the next round, as the high school seasons came to an end for seven others.
But the headliner of the week was the playoff showdown between two of the commit's teams, though one of them missed the game with an injury.
Here's this week's roundup:
Petrucci and Maine South top McGuire and Marist in commit showdown
This was the main event of the week, with two 2022 Northwestern commits battling it out in the state playoffs just a stone's throw from Evanston. It was such a big game that fellow commit Reggie Fleurima opted not to go to the Wildcats' game against Purdue at Wrigley Field to watch his two future teammates clash.
The game didn't disappoint, as tight end Chris Petrucci and No. 6 Park Ridge (Ill.) Maine South nipped No. 18 Chicago (Ill.) Marist and offensive lineman Deuce McGuire, 35-33, in a playoff classic.
Petrucci missed the game with an injury, but he was still able to secure bragging rights that will most assuredly last through both players' college careers.
It was a seesaw battle throughout as Maine South jumped out to a 14-0 lead. Marist, which was in its fourth straight playoff game as a lower-seeded opponent, responded with 24 unanswered to lead 24-14.
Maine South then rallied back to make it 24-21, and both teams traded scores the rest of the way. Maine South was led by running back Mike Sajenko who rushed for 99 yards and five touchdowns, including two in the fourth quarter to close out the win.
While Petrucci missed the dramatic matchup with a lacerated spleen, he still played a role in the game. Maine South head coach Dave Inserra used Petrucci's injury for his halftime speech.
"That was the speech at halftime," Inserra said in a Daily Herald story. "He had this game taken away and we had to do it. Those were the last words and the boys reacted to it.'"
Maine South will face No. 4 Lockport for the Class 8A state title in Dekalb this week. The Hawks are playing for their first title since 2016.
Marist, which came into the powerhouse matchup with an average playoff margin of victory of almost 32 points, ended their season with a 9-4 record and maybe one of the toughest resumes in the state. Their losses don't lack for name recognition among fans and followers of Illinois football: Chicago Mt. Carmel, Loyola Academy, Chicago Brother Rice and Maine South. The semifinal finish is the third straight for the Redhawks.
Pulaski Academy returns to form in second-round win
Little Rock (Ark.) Pulaski Academy and Joseph Himon both found a sense of normalcy in the second round of the playoffs with a 63-25 win over Magnolia.
It was a tough week for the Bruins last week, they scored only 36 points and Himon had only one touchdown. They were back to their normal 60-plus-point selves this week, and Himon was back to popping off the stat sheet.
The running back was dominant on the ground and as an outlet for quarterback Charlie Fiser through the air. He finished with 11 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown, with nine catches for 55 yards and two receiving touchdowns.
This was Pulaski's ninth game scoring 60 or more points this season.
Pulaski Academy (11-1) plays Greenbrier this week.
Hoover loses rematch with Thompson
Hoover and quarterback Bennett Meredith had their perfect season cut short by Thompson in a 35-10 playoff loss.
It was a difficult end to the season on both sides of the ball for the Buccaneers. The offense scored their lowest point total this season (it had been 24), while the defense allowed the highest point total this season (23).
Thompson got revenge in the semifinal for Hoover's narrow win a month ago. In the regular season, the Buccaneers beat the Warriors, 24-21, to hand them their only defeat.
Still, it was a prolific year for Meredith and the Hoover offense. They finished with an average of more than 35 points a game, and their 12 wins are the most the program has seen since they also reached the 12-win mark in 2016.
Hoover finished their season 12-1, with a perfect regular season and a conference title.
Niceville loses nail biter to Nease
Niceville (Fla.) and Austin Firestone lost their first game on the field this season, 24-19 to Nease, in the Florida 1-7A playoffs.
The Eagles' perfect season, which was slightly marred by a forfeit to Fort Walton Beach after they beat them on the field, came to an end in the Sweet 16. No. 3 Niceville entered as the favorite over No. 7 Nease.
Firestone and the defense were the spearhead of this Eagles team, allowing under 14 points per game this season.
Niceville finished their season 10-2, undefeated in their district and undefeated on the field in their regular season.
Dallas Jesuit's season ends in second round
Safety Robert Fitzgerald and Dallas (Tex.) Jesuit got drilled 56-7 in the second round of the state playoffs to Denton Guyer.
The Rangers defense had been stingy this season, allowing 20 total points in the five games leading up to the playoffs But Guyer quarterback Jackson Arnold was 14-for-18 passing for 351 yards and five touchdowns.
It was an abrupt end to a season where the Rangers have typically been the ones doling out the punishment.
Fitzgerald was a two-way star for Jesuit this season, playing a major role all over the field. Heading into the game against Guyer, Fitzgerald was the team's leading rusher, second-leading tackler and fourth-leading receiver.
Dallas Jesuit finished their season 10-2. They were undefeated in their district and at one point boasted an eight-game winning streak.
St. Augustine shut out in playoff loss
Defensive end Denis Jaquez and St. Augustine lost 17-0 to St. John Bosco last week in the semifinal of the New Jersey Non-Public A playoffs.
The win by St. John Bosco snapped the nine-game winning streak that the Hermits carried into this game, spanning all the way back to the second week of their season. It was a defensive slugfest, per NJ.com, as the two teams together did not crack 400 yards of combined offense.
There was some buzz and interest about how St. Augustine, a South Jersey power, would stack up against northern New Jersey teams, and while they dropped this semifinal matchup, their defensive prowess and ability to keep the game close against Bosco made it clear the Hermits could have played with anyone this season.
St. Augustine finished their season 9-2. They were 7-0 in their league play and their defense allowed just 13 points per game.
Lone Star loses second-round matchup with College Station
Safety Devin Turner and Frisco (Tex.) Lone Star saw their season come to an end in the second round of the playoffs when they lost 55-21 to College Station, the alma mater of Northwestern safety Brandon Joseph.
Turner made an impact as a receiver, finishing with 102 receiving yards and two touchdowns, but the College Station offense was too strong for the Rangers, especially running back Marquise Collins. He finished with 33 carries for 308 yards and six touchdowns.
The Rangers were keeping it close early, down 14-7, but College Station scored on their last two possessions of the first half and never looked back.
Lone Star finished their season 9-3 and second in their district, with an incredible points per game average of 45.75.
Loyola Blakefield loses playoff rematch with Concordia Prep
Towson (Md.) Loyola Blakefield and defensive end Anto Saka lost their rematch with Concordia Prep, 14-3.
it was a tough result for Loyola Blakefield, which was just two weeks removed from a 41-9 victory over Concordia in the regular season. The Dons jumped out to a 3-0 lead after the first quarter in this game, but the Saints got their vengeance in the second quarter with a pair of touchdowns and held on the rest of the way.
The Dons allowed a total of 85 points this season, an average of a little under eight points per game. Their defense was so elite it created the bizarre statistic: every time the Dons allowed the opponent to crack double-digit points, they lost. It happened thrice, with opponents scoring 24 points once, and 14 points twice.
Loyola Blakefield finished 8-3 and won the MIAA-B regular season title with a 5-1 record.
Completed seasons
WR Reggie Fleurima and Naperville Central (Ill.) finished their season 7-4.
OL Nick Herzog and Stilwell (Kan.) Blue Valley finished their season 8-2.
DB Braden Turner and Mobile (Ala.) McGill-Toolen finished their season 8-5.
CB Evan Smith and Birmingham (Ala.) Oak Mountain finished their season 7-5.
LB Braydon Brus and Glendora (Calif) finished their season 11-1.
RB Albert Kunickis and Lemont (Ill.) finished their season 11-1.