By Dan McGrath

The Leo Lions found themselves going against a team playing for its playoff life Friday night, just as they were.

The IHSA playoffs, though, are a way of life for the St. Rita Mustangs, while the Lions haven’t had a sniff of the postseason since 2013. 

Playing perhaps the toughest schedule in the state, the host Mustangs brought an unsightly (for them) 2-4 record into Senior Night festivities, having fallen to Mt. Carmel, Brother Rice, St. Francis and Nazareth during a grueling five-week stretch. All four teams have been regulars in the Sun-Times’ Super 25 rankings this season.

So winning out is an imperative for St. Rita, and Leo almost seemed to go along with the plan, offering shockingly little resistance in a 55-7 drubbing.

Langston Smith took a swing pass from Steven Armbruster 60 yards for a touchdown on St. Rita’s first play from scrimmage, and a tone was set. No long, time-consuming drives for Rita on this night; they weren’t necessary. The Mustangs could not have found the end zone with any less difficulty if the Lions had escorted them there.

Armbruster (6-for-9, 75 yards, three TDs) threw a four-yard TD pass to Smith and scored on a 35-yard run for a 21-0 lead before the first quarter ended. He hit Vinny Stubitsch with a 19-yard TD pass and Donovan Evans with a 16-yarder before Damon Sutton scored on a 43-yard run for a 42-0 halftime lead, necessitating a running clock.

After Brandon Johnson finished off St. Rita’s first second-half possession with a 14-yard TD run, the Lions gained a measure of self-respect with an 11-play, 65-yard drive that produced Jubril Kannike’s TD pop from one yard out. But they quickly gave it back when Darrion McElrath-Bey ran unimpeded through the Leo secondary and hauled in a 58-yard TD pass from backup QB Liam Brazel. 

It ended 55-7 … and not a moment too soon.

“We could not stop them,” Coach Theo Hopkins said, sounding more perplexed than angry.

Now 3-4, the Lions face their own “win-out” imperative in their two remaining games against Niles Notre Dame (2-5) and Marmion (3-4). They’ll celebrate Senior Day against Notre Dame at 1 p.m. Saturday at St. Xavier. They travel to Marmion for their regular-season finale at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, October 24.

“We’ve still got a shot,” Hopkins said.