By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
After JCA sophomore quarterback Aidan Voss (5-for-8, 52 yards) engineered a 10-play 66-yard scoring drive
that culminated in a one-yard scoring jaunt by senior wingback, Kenyetta Williams ( nine carries, 24 yards, TD) to pull the Hilltoppers within 17-14 in the fourth quarter, St. Rita (1-0), super-sophomore Kaleb Brown (15 carries, 95 yards TD; 3 catches, 76 yards, TD) strutted his stuff.
In the newly created 2019 Chicago Catholic League-East Suburban Catholic League Crossover season-opener, St. Rita faced a third and 13 at the Mustang 43. St. Rita quarterback Brian Johnson (10-for-18, 166 yards, TD) hit Brown on a swing pass at the Mustang 47. Brown raced up field and was on a collision-course with Hilltopper senior linebacker Joey Bueno at the Hilltopper 45.
In the dance-crazed 21st Century that we live in, Brown put a “dance-move” around Bueno and raced the remaining 47-yards for a 24-14 Mustang lead. The Mustangs added their second “pick-six”, with a minute to go in the contest, to roll to the 31-14 victory.
On a picture-perfect “Opening Night”, the two CCL-ESCC rivals each scored in the first two minutes of the game.
Brown crashed in from the four and with Mustang place-kicker Logan Corum’s PAT, the Mustangs led 7-0 with 10:26 in the first quarter. 18 seconds later, on their first play from scrimmage in 2019, Hilltopper junior quarterback Anthony Napolitano (7-for-18, 154 yards, TD, 2 INT) hit junior wingback Ja’arie Mack who raced 63-yards for the Hilltopper touchdown. Jake Dixon’s PAT tied the game at 7-7, with 10:08 remaining in the first quarter.
“It was great to be able to score on our first play of the season,” Mack said. “We have a lot of work to do this week. I want to give a lot of credit to our defense, who played well tonight.”
Corsun’s 21-yard field goal, gave the Mustangs a 10-7 lead with 6:03 in the quarter.
Mustang junior DB Henry Wilson’s 45-yard “pick six” of a Napolitano pass, put the Mustangs up 17-7 with 1:36 in the first quarter. Both teams did not score in the second quarter and the Mustangs took the 17-7 lead into halftime.
In the third quarter, Bueno came up with a huge sack, to thwart a Mustang drive with 8:15 in the third quarter.
With the Hilltoppers buried on their goal line, Bueno struck again. Punting from near their goal line, Bueno crushed the Mustang return man at the Hilltopper 40. Junior Jabril Williams, pounced on the fumble and the Hilltoppers had the ball at their own 34.
“We played very hard tonight,” Williams said. “Our defense was outstandingt. Brown made an outstanding move to beat us. He is just a super player.”
With 15 seconds left in the third quarter, Voss connected with senior Izaiah Murphy, for a 24-yard gain on a third and 13. Voss connected with Jabril Williams (11 yards), Kenyetta Williams (13 yards) and Jon Ehrsam ( three catches, 58 yards) for eight yards on the crucial fourth quarter scoring drive, that pulled JCA (0-1) to within 17-14 with 9:04 left in the game.
“I really kept my focus, on the drive and was able to do my job,” Voss said. “We have to work hard this week and be physically and mentally prepared for IC. If we are ready, I think we will be all right.”
Aidan Voss, is the son of Hilltopper legend, Jonathan Voss. As the Hilltopper quarterback, father Jonathan, led the 1987 Hilltoppers to the Class 4A State Championship under another Hilltopper legend, then-head coach and current athletic director, Dan Sharp.
Voss, left the game with a severe cramp and Napolitano re-entered and drove the Hilltoppers to the Mustang 10 yard line with 28 seconds left in the game.
St. Rita linebacker Mike Gaughan, intercepted a Napolitano pass at the one and raced 99-yards for the second Mustang “pick-six”, to finish off the valiant Hilltoppers.
“A couple of bad interceptions really hurt us tonight,” JCA head coach Jake Jaworski said. “On the first one, Anthony was hit as he threw the ball. We have a lot of work to do this week and it certainly does not get easier for us with IC Friday, in our home opener.” .
“Aidan (Voss), is a tremendous athlete. With his athleticism, he provides us with a number of no, no, yes, yes plays. He threw the ball well for us, tonight.”
“Aidan has tremendous bloodlines from his father. He didn’t receive anything from his uncle,” Jaworski added.
Aidan’s Uncle Jared, of course, is the current, legendary, IHSBCA Hall of Fame, JCA head baseball coach,Jared Voss.
The Hilltoppers will meet the Immaculate Conception Knights (1-0), in their home-opener at 7:30 Friday at Memorial Stadium.