Published Oct 24, 2022
Recruit Roundup: Magee and Fussell wrap up undefeated regular seasons
Matthew Shelton  •  WildcatReport
Managing Editor

Playoff season is in the air! Twelve commits finished their regular seasons last week, and 11 are now preparing for the playoffs.

It was another great week from the Class of 2023, as two of them wrapped up undefeated regular seasons. One commit scored three touchdowns, each in a different way, another dominated an out-of-state opponent in pink breast cancer tribute jerseys and a third avenged an overtime loss with a 28-point win.

Read about all of that and more in this week's roundup.


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Edgewater goes 9-0, secures district title

Camp Magee caught a touchdown pass and Orlando (Fla.) Edgewater won a district title when they dispatched Horizon, 54-0.

The Eagles have displayed many skills throughout their undefeated 2022 season, maybe none more than stamina. Their demolition of Horizon was their fourth game in 16 days, but you wouldn't know it. The Eagles outgained the Hawks 412-34 to make another statement win in a season full of them.

Edgewater (9-0) clinched a playoff spot via their district title, and will host Boone for their first playoff game on Nov. 4. This week, they will be on bye.


Lakota West completes undefeated season

West Chester (Ohio) Lakota West put the cherry on top of their undefeated season with a 31-14 win over Colerain last week.

The Firebirds and Joshua Fussell were on a roll from the first game to the last game this season, displaying complete dominance start to finish. After a 16-13 win over St. Xavier in Week 1, Lakota West won their next nine games by an average of 30 points.

Fussell and the defense allowed less than 100 points on the year, even though they allowed 31 to Fairfield alone in Week 8.

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Lakota West (10-0) has recorded the first undefeated season in team history. They have qualified for the playoffs, but their opponent has not yet been assigned.

Divine Child caps regular season with 41-point win

Dearborn (Mich.) Divine Child and Dylan Senda crushed East English Village Prep, 47-6.

Senda has led a return to glory for the Falcons in his senior season. Their 7-2 regular season earned the school's first playoff berth since 2017.

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Divine Child (7-2) has made the playoffs, but their opponent for this week's game has not been assigned yet.


Eagles make a statement in win over Hoban

Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward and Michael Kilbane proved why they might be the best pound-for-pound team in Ohio when they beat Archbishop Hoban last week, 41-20.

The Eagles' season has been heavyweight bout after heavyweight bout, but they answered the bell and delivered the pain once again.

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Kilbane and Co. finish their regular season having allowed more than 20 points just once in 10 games against some of the best high school football teams in North America (they played a Canadian team in Week 8).

St. Edward (9-1) starts their playoffs this week when they host Stow-Munroe Falls.


McDonogh offense struggles, loses matchup with Archbishop Spalding

Owing Mills (Md.) McDonogh's offense continues to struggle, and the Eagles lost, 45-12, to Archbishop Spalding last week.

The offense's limited ability to score has been a consistent theme, as they average just 11 points per game. But this was the first time that Mason Robinson and the defense were stretched past their breaking point.

The Eagle defense has held opponents to less than 20 points per game and secured three wins despite their offensive performance. But they couldn't continue their Herculean effort against Spalding last week.

McDonogh (3-5) hosts Towson this week.


Strake Jesuit bounces back with big win over Alief Hastings

After two one-score losses, Houston (Tex.) Strake Jesuit took out their frustration on Alief Hastings in a 36-point win.

Chico Holt and the Crusaders got back to .500 with emphasis, taking the Bears to task in a 57-21 drubbing. The Strake Jesuit offense has been nearly unstoppable once it gets rolling; they are averaging around 40 points per game so far.

Strake Jesuit (4-4) hosts Pearland this week in their penultimate regular season matchup.


Cadets wear pink, beat Edwardsville

Edwardsvile (Ill.) crossed state lines to play St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers, and Tyler Gant and the Cadets handed their out-of-state opponents a 44-17 loss so they can remember their trip.

The Cadets picked up their seventh straight win to cap what has been a mostly dominant regular season. Christian Brothers donned pink uniforms to play the Tigers in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

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Christian Brothers (8-1) hosts Vianney in their first round of the playoffs this week. They beat Vianney 64-6 in the regular season.


Bolingbrook blows out Stagg for sixth win

Bolingbrook (Ill.) beat Stagg 63-6 to ensure their playoff position.

The Pirates had a shaky start to their season due to a formidable strength of schedule, opening 4-3. Damon Walters, the defense and the whole squad sent a message in their final two games, winning them by a combined score of 107-13.

That schedule may come back to haunt the Pirates though, as having three losses has hurt their playoff position. In IHSA Class 8A, every little bit helps.

Bolingbrook (6-3) drew the 20th seed and will play at Peter Skoronski's alma mater, No. 13 Maine South, this week in their first-round playoff game.


Gray and Naperville North exact vengeance on Naperville Central

The low point of the season for Naperville North and Aidan Gray was a 10-7 overtime loss to their crosstown rival, Naperville Central. They avenged that with emphasis last week, beating Naperville Central 31-3 in a regular-season rematch.

Northwestern's offense is best suited for a dual-threat quarterback, and Gray showed off his legs against the Redhawks. He tallied 14 carries for 70 yards, paired with an economic day through the air, where he was 16-21 for 131 yards and an interception.

Gray and the Huskies finished 7-2, but finished third in an incredibly tough season of DuPage Valley Conference football.

Naperville North (7-2) earned a 15th seed in the IHSA 8A playoffs, and will host No. 18 Chicago Marist, the alma mater of Deuce McGuire, in the first round.


Joliet crushes Montini, secures a five-seed

Joliet (Ill.) Catholic Academy and Anthony Birsa ran roughshod over another opponent, demolishing Montini, 52-20.

The 32-point win was the icing on the cake for another formidable regular season for the Hilltoppers. After losing by six to Crete Monee, and to Brother Rice in overtime, they finished their year with a pair of wins with a combined score of 93-20.

JCA's two losses knock them down to the fifth seed in the Class 4A playoffs, but they expect to defend their 2021 title. There are few, if any, 4A teams that play the type of schedule or have the level of competition that the HIlltoppers do in CCL/ESCC play.

No. 5 Joliet Catholic (7-2) hosts No. 12 Chicago Phillips this week.


Northmont loses to one-loss Springfield, ends regular season .500

Clayton (Ohio) Northmont kept it close at halftime with one-loss Springfield, and only trailed by six. Then, the Wildcats hit the afterburners and put up four unanswered touchdowns to coast to a 55-21 win over Nigel Glover and the Thunderbolts.

It has been a roller coaster season for Northmont, who won four straight and lost four straight on its road to a 5-5 record.

The Thunderbolts will have a tall order in their first playoff game when they play at Centerville, the alma mater of Ifeadi Odengibo, who beat them 37-6 earlier in the season.


Northwestern wins city championship

Rock Hill (S.C.) Northwestern secured the WHRI Football City USA City Championship with a 43-33 win over South Pointe.

The Trojans have been on one heck of a run this year, piling up an 8-1 record behind an offense scoring 50 points per game. Jordan Knox has been paving the way and setting the table for this prolific offense, and it is fitting that he was the first Trojan to get his hands on the city trophy.

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Northwestern (8-1) hosts Catawba Ridge this week.


Royal beats Sweeny by six touchdowns

Justin Cryer and Pattison (Tex.) Royal continued one of their program's best seasons ever, blowing out Sweeny 49-7.

Unlike many of the other recruits, Cryer and the Falcons still have a couple weeks ahead of them before the playoffs. With that being said, they have already recorded the most wins in a season for Royal since 2009.

If the Falcons win out, they will eclipse the 2009 Falcons' eight-win mark and secure the legacy of what has already been a transformational season.

Royal (7-1) hosts La Marque this week.


Liberty loses to Blue Springs South

Liberty (Mo.) and Ricky Ahumareze were never able to stabilize their offensive production, and they finished a game under .500 after a 38-14 loss to Blue Springs South.

As Ahumaraeze and the offense went, so did the Blue Jays this season. They were 4-2 in games where they scored 20 or more, and 0-3 when they scored fewer than 20 points.

Liberty's campaign was decided by five points: a three-point loss to Ray-Pec in Week 3, and a two-point loss to Staley in Week 6.

Liberty finished their season 4-5 and fifth in the Missouri Suburban Silver Conference.


Covey scores trifecta of touchdowns

Frank Covey IV almost ran a punt, pass and kick clinic in Mt. Prospect (Ill.) Prospect's 64-24 demolition of Rolling Meadows.

Covey threw, caught and returned a kick for a touchdown in Prospect's eighth win in nine game. He completed a six-yard pass to receiver Jake Parisi, caught a 21-yard pass from starting quarterback Brad Vierneisel, and returned a kick 77 yards for his third score.

Outside of an overtime loss to conference champion Hersey, Covey and the Knights rolled over the competition as their offense finished the regular season averaging a little more than 44 points per game.

In the first round of IHSA Class 7A playoffs, No. 5 Prospect (8-1) hosts No. 28 Burbank Reavis.


Leuzinger trounces Morningside

Credit to Jacob Lewis and Lawndale (Calif.) Leuzinger. They refused to throw in the towel this season.

Playing some of the toughest teams in the country, they opened 0-5. Since then, they have responded with a 3-1 record in their last four games. They most recently laid the lumber on Morningside, trouncing the Lions 51-0.

While one of their three wins was a forfeit OVER Beverly Hills, Lewis and the defense have been lights out in the other two. Both games were shutouts, and the Olympians won by a combined score of 104-0.

Leuzinger (3-6) plays at Hawthorne in the last game of their regular season.


Roberts makes Class of 2023 2-0 against Boulder Creek

Dylan Roberts beat the same Boulder Creek (Ariz.) team that Alex Doost did the week before. Now, the two future Wildcats will meet each other in the state playoffs this week.

Doost and Glendale (Ariz.) Mountain Ridge beat Boulder Creek by two last weekend. Roberts and Peoria (Ariz.) Centennial did a little better, crushing Boulder Creek 55-0.

Roberts and the Coyotes have now won seven straight, allowing more than 20 points just once during that stretch. Roberts and Centennial are firing on all cylinders and hitting their stride just in time to face off with Doost and the Mountain Lions.

Centennial (7-1) hosts Mountain Ridge this week.


Liberty snaps Mountain Ridge's winning streak

Glendale (Ariz.) Mountain Ridge had some solid momentum and a three-game winning streak heading into their game against Liberty, but both were swiftly squelched in a 42-0 loss.

Alex Doost and the Mountain Lions were unable to match Liberty, who are undefeated on the season and have scored 40 or more in five of their seven games this season.

Doost and Mountain Ridge (4-3) will look to bounce back and earn Class of 2023 bragging rights when they play Roberts and Peoria Centennial this week.


Saguaro beats Highland to continue playoff campaign

Cole Shivers and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Saguaro have no margin for error to make the Open Division Arizona Palyoffs after a tough schedule yielded three losses early in the season.

They have taken their next step on their tough trail to the promised land of the postseason with a 27-10 road win over Highland.

The Sabercat defense showed up to play again, holding their opponent under 20 points for the second straight matchup.

Saguaro (4-3) will continue to claw their way back when they host Chaparral this week.