St. Rita 42, Leo 0, at St. Rita on October 11

By Dan McGrath

Not even an all-time great from Leo’s illustrious past could help the Lions in their Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic crossover game with St. Rita on a gorgeous night for football at St. Rita’s Cronin Field.

Jay Standring ’66, who won an alphabet’s worth of letters at Leo before moving on to play football at Notre Dame, is a longtime (and revered) teacher/coach at St. Rita after filling those roles for several years at Leo.

Acknowledging his ties to both schools, St. Rita appointed Jay an honorary captain for the game. He officiated at the coin toss, and the Lions might have known they were in for trouble when they called heads and it came up tails.

The Mustangs (5-2, 1-1 CCL/ESCC Green), looking very much the part of a state playoff contender, scored on six of their seven possessions and bullied the Lions with a fast, physical defense in pitching a 42-0 shutout.

And they did it without their primary offensive weapon – senior running back Nick Herman sat out the game after taking a pounding in the previous week’s loss to Nazareth. Junior quarterback Steven Armbruster and sophomore wideout Donovan Evans more than made up for Herman’s absence.

Armbruster had a hand in four St. Rita touchdowns, running for 2- and 6-yard scores and throwing TD passes of 59 yards to Evans and 48 yards to Walter Jones. Evans also hauled in a 22-yard TD pass from backup QB Tommy Perry.

Leo (1-6, 0-1 CCL/ESCC Red) lost a fumble, threw two interceptions and was assessed 90 yards in penalties. That was a recipe for disaster against the most talented team the Lions have faced this year – a running clock was in effect from the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.

They also lost quarterback Derrick Davis to a rib injury from a devastating but clean hit shortly before halftime, after Davis’ 75 yards on 12 scrambles was pretty much the extent of Leo’s first-half offense.

Marshawn Durr took over and was an energetic presence, running for 46 yards and passing for 50. But the Lions’ final possession was a capsule summary of a night on which nothing went their way.

Durr connected with Neil Anderson on a 32-yard pass play and picked up 31 yards on three runs, giving Leo first-and-goal at St. Rita’s 2-yard line. A sweep lost a yard, a swing pass lost two yards and another sweep went nowhere. The Lions finally tried the middle on fourth-and-goal from the 5, but the play was stacked up and Leo was shut out for the second time in three weeks.

The frosh-soph didn’t fare much better, losing 26-6 in the preliminary game to fall to 3-4 for the season. Kam Mosley scored Leo’s touchdown, his 13th this season.

A trip to Niles and a date with Notre Dame (2-5) is next for the Lions on Friday, Oct 18. The season ends with a 1 p.m. Senior Day home game against Marmion (4-3) on Saturday, Oct. 26.

The schedule:
Fri., Oct. 18 – at Notre Dame of Niles, 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 26 – Marmion, 1 p.m.*

* home games at St. Rita’s Cronin Field, 78th and Western

Leo 47, Noble Academy 0, at St. Rita on October 5

By Dan McGrath

Noble Academy did Leo a solid by agreeing to fill in as a Homecoming football opponent after De La Salle canceled its season, citing insufficient numbers.

The Academy, located in Chicago’s Old Town neighborhood, might be the academic showpiece of the Noble Street Network of charter schools. Football, not so much: The Griffins, with barely 20 players in uniform, brought an 0-5 record into the game and had been outscored 263-34.

Leo had its own problems, namely an 0-5 record and a 12-game losing streak dating to Week 3 of last season. So the Lions were looking to put it on somebody as a Homecoming testimonial, and the Griffins were their hapless victims, falling 47-0 before a good-sized, sun-splashed crowd on a pleasant fall Saturday at St. Rita’s Cronin Field.

In a big-play feast for the Lions, Ryan Cunningham treated himself to three helpings: He caught a 35-yard TD pass from Marshawn Durr on Leo’s first play from scrimmage, he brought a punt back 46 yards for a second TD and he weaved his way 88 yards with the second-half kickoff to complete the scoring.

Durr threw just three passes and completed all three for 72 yards and two touchdowns, the 35-yarder to Cunningham and a 9-yard strike to sophomore Antonio Clark.

Javon Logan scored on a 37-yard run and had a 34-yarder called back by a holding penalty. Derrick Davis had a 5-yard TD run, and Jaivon Dale covered a blocked punt in the end zone for still another score.

Leo had substitutes in the game early and often, and a running clock went into  effect before halftime.

Hard to find fault with a 47-point blowout, but the Lions were far from perfect; They were assessed 125 yards in penalties – some of them rather silly – and lost two fumbles.

And there’s no time to celebrate with CCL/ESCC contender St. Rita (4-2, 1-1) next on Friday at St Rita. The Mustangs are likely to be ornery after taking a 45-21 trimming from Nazareth at Nazareth on Friday.

St. Laurence 42, Leo 0, at St. Laurence on Sept. 27

By Dan McGrath

Zero-and-five ain’t pretty, but it’s reality for the Leo Lions after they traveled to St. Laurence Friday night and got smoked.

The Vikings are the state’s top-ranked team in Class 4-A and they looked the part of a state title contender while burying the Lions 42-0, dominating every phase of the game.

A Senior Night capacity crowd in Burbank saw what Illinois State saw in quarterback Chase Kwiatkowski—the Redbird recruit completed six of nine passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns. 

But Vikings tailback Cory Les was the story of the evening. Patient, powerful and deceptively fast, the 205-pound junior piled up 119 yards on just 13 carries and scored four touchdowns, on runs of 10, 10, 13 and 10 yards.

Les added a fifth score by hauling a Kwiatkowski screen pass 67 yards for a 42-0 lead on St. Laurence’s first possession of the second half. A running clock kicked in at that point, or it might have been worse.

Kwiatkowski connected with slippery Aiden Ginn for a 44-yard touchdown to open the scoring three minutes into the game. Leo not only went three-and-out on its first possession, it had a punt blocked, setting up the first of Les’ touchdowns, and the rout was on.

The fast-and-physical Vikings were just as impressive defensively, limiting Leo tailback Javon Logan to 35 yards on nine carries. Quarterback Derrick Davis ran for 41 yards and passed for 70, but the Lions never really threatened the end zone, their best drive dying at St. Laurence’s 16-yard line.

The hosts also prevailed in the preliminary game, overcoming an 18-7 second-half deficit to win 24-18. Freshman Kam Mosley scored two touchdowns for the Lions (2-3), one on an 80-yard run.

Next up for Leo: a Homecoming date with Noble Academy at St. Rita on Saturday, Oct. 5. Kickoff is at 1 p.m. The Lions were scheduled to face De La Salle for Homecoming, but a shortage of players has forced the Meteors to suspend their season. 

Marian Catholic 33, Leo 18, at Marian

By Dan McGrath

Though none of them turned out that way, it could be argued that each of the Leo Lions’ first three football games this season was winnable.

Not so Game 4. Host Marian Catholic scored on four of its first six possessions in building a 26-6 halftime lead and celebrated Homecoming by subduing the Lions 33-18 in Friday’s Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Red Division opener for both teams in Chicago Heights.

The Spartans squared their record at 2-2 while the Lions fell to 0-4 in a grim, physical battle that occasionally crossed the line into rough stuff — nearly 200 yards in penalties were assessed, 130 against the Lions. Offsetting personal fouls were called twice, and the postgame handshake exchange was interrupted by a nasty skirmish.

Muggy weather may have contributed to the generally foul mood of the evening. Between the penalties and cramping-up players requiring medical attention, the proceedings were a three-hour slog from start to finish.

Quarterback Derrick Davis played the best game of his career for the Lions, completing 10 of 15 passes for 155 yards and a touchdown, a 16-yard strike to Jaivon Dale in the fourth quarter. Under heavy pressure, Davis also ran for 40 yards on seven carries, and his completions went to five receivers, Gavin Donald grabbing four for 60 yards.

Javon Logan’s 98 yards (on 12 carries) featured a 59-yard touchdown burst, Marshawn Durr scored on a 5-yard run from the Wildcat formation, and Ryan Cunningham’s three touches accounted for 89 yards: 44 on an interception return, 32 on a catch that set up Leo’s final touchdown and 13 on a run from scrimmage.

But poor tackling and being caught out of position were Leo’s undoing, and it started early when dynamic tailback Kyle Scott’s first two carries went for 52 yards. His longest thereafter was 13 yards, but the Lions never really contained Scott as he piled up 189 yards on 28 attempts.

Meanwhile, Tremayne Cheers scored on a 65-yard run, one play after Logan’s touchdown brought Leo within 13-6. Sophomore thoroughbred Jeremiah Stonewall’s two TD runs included a 69-yarder, and there wasn’t a Lion within five yards of T.J. Garner when he hauled in Joey Baranski’s 29-yard TD pass in the first quarter.

But the Spartans weren’t all big-play flash and dash. After Leo had moved within 26-12, they effectively put the game away with a fourth-quarter drive that covered 90 yards in 15 plays and used up nearly nine minutes before Scott scored from the 1-yard line.

A trip to Burbank to face St. Laurence on Friday, Sept. 27 is next for the Lions and that might not be fun; the Vikings are 4-0 following a road win at Carmel of Mundelein and have outscored their opponents 155-29.

Leo’s frosh soph (2-2) also came up empty, falling to Marian 24-20 in Friday’s preliminary game.

The Spartans were protecting that lead when quarterback Malcolm Hill fumbled after taking a brutal hit from the Leo defense. Robert Cunningham scooped up the ball and took it 72 yards for what would have been the go-ahead touchdown, but the Lions were flagged for a helmet-to-helmet hit on Hill and the play came back. Marian retained possession and ran out the clock.

Kam Mosley scored two touchdowns for Leo, one on a 61-yard run.

Next up for Leo: at St. Laurence on Friday, Sept. 27. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.           

The schedule:
Fri., Sept. 27 – at St. Laurence, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 5 – De La Salle, 1 p.m.**
Fri., Oct. 11 – St. Rita, 7:30 p.m.*
Fri., Oct. 18 – at Notre Dame of Niles, 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 26 – Marmion, 1 p.m.*

* home games at St. Rita’s Cronin Field, 78th and Western
** Homecoming

Choir Keeps Doing Its Amazing Thing

The world-renowned Leo Choir is in higher demand than ever, with four appearances in the first month of the school year.

  • To commemorate the 23rd anniversary of terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon on September 11, the Choir traveled downtown to Union Station to participate in a Day of Service and Remembrance. The singers entertained an estimated 2,000 volunteers from 70 companies as they packed meals for distribution to needy families through the Greater Chicago Food Depository, Their performance of “America the Beautiful – for the first time in a public setting – drew a prolonged ovation.

  • The Choir provided the entertainment for “Sips for Scholarships,” a fundraiser held at the home of Ryan and Stephanie Stecz on August 22. More than 70 guests attended as Ryan and Stephanie sought to help Leo raise money to offset the loss of the state’s tax-credit scholarship program, which expired after the 2023-24 school year.

  • The Choir sang at the first Mass of the school year, held in the Leo Auditorium on September 4.

  • Leo’s Teen Voter Registration Drive, held in the Auditorium on September 10, officially got under way with the Choir’s singing of the National Anthem.

“The best ambassadors Leo has,” school President Dan McGrath said. “They always rise to the occasion and do us proud.”

Hero Coach

By Dan McGrath

Dr. Marques Stevenson, Leo’s head football coach, had the next night’s game against St. Pat’s on his mind as he drove to school in the early morning hours of Thursday, September 12.  A real-world experience jolted the coach from his blocking-and-tackling reverie and was later deemed heroic

Heading northbound on South Racine, Dr. Stevenson noticed a disturbance outside a home on the 8400 block. What he saw as he slowed for a better look horrified him – two dogs were mauling a woman.

A gun owner with a concealed-carry permit and extensive weapons training from his time in the military, Dr. Stevenson pulled over and jumped from his car to assist. The dogs were pit bulls in full lather. He shot both — one ran off and was later found dead in the home. The other was so ferocious it kept trying to get at the woman despite a debilitating wound to its rear hip area.

A police officer traveling southbound on Racine also noticed the disturbance and joined Coach Stevenson at the scene. She fired a shot that disabled the second dog, which was later euthanized by Animal Control.

The woman was rushed to St. Bernard’s Hospital, where she was expected to survive but faced the loss of her left arm. She did not live in the house, and her presence there at 7 a.m. was not explained. The dogs’ owner was not identified.

On Friday, Commander Michael Tate and a delegation of officers from the 6th Police District came to Leo to recognize Dr. Stevenson for his heroic act, presenting him with a certificate of appreciation at an all-school assembly. Joshua Smith was the MC, and seven fellow seniors spelled out the word “servant” and discussed its meaning.

“You showed great courage in a situation that not many people would have chosen to get involved in,” Commander Tate said. “And you saved a person’s life. Not all heroes wear badges and vests.”

Admittedly shaken by the experience, Dr. Stevenson said his instincts and training took over.

“It’s like I tell the boys, you can deal with tough situations if you’re prepared for them, and I felt like my preparation took over.

“It was tough for me, though, because I’m a dog lover. But when I saw what they were doing to a human being, I felt I had no choice.

Commander Tate concurred. “You did the right thing. You saved a life.”

Swifties? Who Knew?

There was a strong media turnout for Teen Voter Registration Day at Leo on September 10, with more than a half-dozen TV stations, radio stations and newspapers sending reporters and filing stories about an event that added more than 250 new voters to the rolls in Cook County (see the September Leo newsletter).

Pop mega-star Taylor Swift’s same-day announcement that she was backing the Kamala Harris-Tim Walz ticket in the Presidential race brought reporter Jasmine Minor and an ABC-7 camera crew back to Leo on September 11 to measure teenage boys’ reaction.

“I wasn’t sure if we had any ‘Swifties’ in the building, but we all know who she is and how popular she is,” Leo President Dan McGrath said. “The Channel 7 producer said they chose Leo because our guys are so well-spoken and comfortable talking to the media.”

Senior Keith Smith, one of the leading voices in the world-renowned Leo Choir, said he applauded Ms. Swift for putting her name and reputation behind something she believes in. Fellow senior Josue Rios said it was likely Ms. Swift’s popularity would have some effect on the race, but it was important for voters to study the issues and decide for themselves whom to support.

Sophomore Gabriel Sims, a cross-country runner, displayed some Swifty tendencies, explaining that he listens to Ms. Swift’s music while he runs and while he does his homework.

All three interviews were included in the story, which ran on Channel 7’s early-evening newscasts on September 11.

“A lot of people told me they saw me on television,” Rios said. “It was pretty cool.”

Leo Gets Out the Vote

By Dan McGrath

Leo did its part to create an informed bloc of voters for the future when it hosted a National Teen Voter Registration Day in the school auditorium on Tuesday, September 10.

Dr. Shaka Rawls, Leo’s principal, sought to have Leo serve as the South Side hub for a nationwide effort to make young people more aware of and involved in the election process. Citizenship, he said, “is an important part of the Leo curriculum,” and he reminded Leo students that “many thousands of Americans have given their lives over the years to protect their fellow citizens’ right to vote.” 

Yolanda Sandifer Horton, Leo’s Director of Community Engagement, worked with local representatives from the national program and the Cook County Board of Elections to line up volunteers to assist with registration. More than 50 responded, from the Faith Community of St. Sabina (Fr. Michael Pfleger), the 17th Ward (Alderman David Moore), the Chicago Police Department’s 6th District (Commander Michael Tate), and Engine 129, Truck 50 and Ambulance 30 from the Chicago Fire Department Station at 81st and Ashland.

Various community groups, sororities and fraternities provided volunteers as well, manning the 24 tables set up in the auditorium.

Students from De La Salle, St. Laurence, St. Francis de Sales, Our Lady of Tepeyac and Josephinum Academy accepted Dr. Rawls’ invitation to participate.

•  Students aged 18 and over could register to vote on the spot.

•  Students aged 16 and 17 could pre-register to vote, in accordance with  Illinois law allowing teens to pre-register, the idea being to introduce young people to the process as soon as possible. Students who are 17 but will turn 18 before Nov. 5 are eligible to vote in this year’s election if they’re registered. 

“We have students in our own building who will turn 18 in October, and they were surprised to find out they can register and then vote on November 5th in their first presidential election,” Dr. Rawls said.

By the time the four-hour session was completed, more than 250 students had registered, ranging in age from 16 to 18.

Media coverage was extensive as well, with more than a half-dozen TV stations, radio stations and newspapers sending reporters and camera crews.  

“This particular call to action is history in the making,” Dr. Rawls said. “Today’s young people want their voices heard, and this was an opportunity. Tomorrow’s informed young voters will stake a claim to shaping history with their ballot.” 

A DMV mobile unit had visited Leo on Monday, giving students an opportunity to obtain the documentation they would need to register or pre-register.

National Teen Voter Registration Day aims to inspire and mobilize teenagers to participate in the democratic process and to empower young minds to make a difference in their communities. 

The campaign provides teens with the tools for registration, fosters informed decision-making and instills a sense of civic duty. By organizing voter registration drives in high schools and engaging in political discussions, teenagers can play a significant role in their communities through participation in the electoral process. 

Dr. Rawls said Leo looked beyond its own student body to take ownership of an event aimed at facilitating the registration of eligible young voters.

“By inviting other schools, we create a greater, more impactful statement on the South Side,” he said. “The day is not just about voting, but also about honoring those who fought for the right to vote.”  

St. Pat’s 17, Leo 6, at St. Rita

By Dan McGrath

Fun while it lasted was the 6-0 lead Leo took over St. Pat’s Friday in their Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic crossover game at St. Rita’s Cronin Field.

Quarterback Derrick Davis’ 5-yard scoot finished a 10-play, 75-yard drive in the closing seconds of the first quarter. It began when linebacker Carlin Henry denied the Shamrocks a score by stealing the ball from Jayden Miranda at the 1-yard line and running it out to the 25. The PAT kick failed, but the Lions’ 6-0 lead was not only their first of the evening but their first of this three-game season.

And it lasted about as long as it takes to spell L-E-O.

Three plays after an onside kick attempt failed, quarterback Joseph Costanzo lofted a 47-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Gavin Fitzgerald, who dashed through Leo’s secondary unimpeded. The PAT kick put St. Pat’s up 7-6.

The Lions then went three-and-out and, by interfering with Fitzgerald’s fair catch of a punt, gave the Shamrocks a short field at Leo’s 25-yard line. They needed five plays to score again, Emiliano Arteaga running it in from the 1.

Finally, after yet another Leo three-and-out, Arteaga kicked a 26-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to conclude the scoring. Two pass-interference calls helped keep the drive alive. The Lions were penalized 12 times for 105 yards all told. Their inability to understand the rules was nearly as damaging as their failure to observe them.

Trailing 17-6 in the fourth quarter, Leo reached St. Pat’s 6-yard line when Javon Logan banged out a 24-yard run. It was Leo’s second longest play of the night; earlier, Marshawn Durr brought an end-zone interception back 44 yards.

A first-down swing pass to Gavin Donald failed to connect, but because the ball was thrown backwards, it was ruled a fumble rather than an incompletion. The Shamrocks realized this while the Lions didn’t – they scooped up the loose ball and ran it out to Leo’s 43-yard line. The Lions wouldn’t threaten again in falling to 0-3. St. Pat’s is 2-1. 

Logan’s 16 carries produced 88 hard-earned yards. Davis scrambled his way to 51 yards on seven tries, but Leo didn’t generate much in the passing game: 7-for-12 for just 41 yards.

Costanzo’s five completions (in eight attempts) produced 112 yards, including the touchdown pass and another 50–yard strike to Fitzgerald. Miranda, a sophomore tailback, earned his lunch money with 28 carries for 114 yards. 

Leo’s frosh-soph team fell to 2-1 after a 14-8 loss to St. Pat’s in the preliminary game. The Lions drew within six on Trent Watson’s 66-yard TD pass to Mark Jackson, but turnovers negated two other scoring chances.

Next up for Leo: at Marian Catholic on Friday, Sept. 20. The Spartans are 1-2, beating Rich Township but losing to Homewood-Flossmoor and DePaul Prep. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m.           

Lions Lose a Close One to Amundsen 13-12

By Dan McGrath

Saturday’s Leo-Amundsen football game was more like a lively middleweight scrap than a heavyweight slugfest, and with clever quarterback Elmir Geka in charge, the Vikings piled up just enough points to win by decision, 13-12, on a postcard-perfect football afternoon at Winnemac Park.

Adrian Zepeda’s second field goal of the game, from 34 yards on the last play of the first half, was the difference. Earlier, the Lions had gifted their hosts 10 points by fumbling away their first two possessions, setting up Sam Macaluso’s 2-yard TD run and a Zepeda field goal from 30.

There were none of the “chunk plays” that undid Leo in its opener at Genoa Kingston; in fact, Amundsen wouldn’t score in the second half. But the Vikings frustrated the Lions with a ball-control approach that kept Leo’s offense off the field – the Vikings ran 62 scrimmage plays to Leo’s 43.

Geka was the catalyst, running 10 times for 82 yards and completing 9 of 18 passes for 87 more. Running back Reggie Mitchell needed 24 carries to amass 66 yards, but working in tandem with Geka, he kept the chains moving.

The first of Amundsen’s two fourth-quarter possessions told the story of the game. A methodical 13-play drive covered only 39 yards, but took more than eight minutes off the clock. When Nick Armour pounced on Mitchell’s fumble after a mistimed handoff at Leo’s 34-yard line, 2:35 remained. The Lions trailed by one. But two incompletions, a one-yard scramble and a bounced snap on fourth down gave the ball back to the Vikings, and they ran out the clock.

The Lions might have asked more of Javon Logan, whose 13 carries produced 78 yards and an 11-yard touchdown that brought Leo within 13-12 in the third quarter. Derrick Davis’ 44 yards included a 22-yard TD scamper in the second. But he was just 4-for-10 passing for 41 yards, 18 of which were negated by two sacks, as the Lions failed to generate much in the passing game.

Leo’s frosh-soph team approved to 2-0 with a 34-0 thumping of Amundsen In the preliminary game. Cam Mosley scored two touchdowns.

Now 0-2 against a schedule that doesn’t get any easier, Leo is back on the South Side on Friday, Sept. 13 to face St. Pat’s at St. Rita’s Cronin Field in the Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference opener for both teams. The Shamrocks are 1-1, having dropped a 15-13 decision to Notre Dame before bouncing back to bury Elgin Larkin 39-0.

Cronin Field is at 78th and Western on the St. Rita campus. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

An earlier version of this story had the Leo-St. Pat’s game taking place at St. Pat’s. The game is at St. Rita. Leo regrets the error.

The schedule:

Fri., Sept. 13 – St. Patrick, 7 p.m.*
Fri., Sept. 20 – at Marian Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 27 – at St. Laurence, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 5 – De La Salle, 1 p.m.**
Fri., Oct. 11 – St. Rita, 7:30 p.m.*
Fri., Oct. 18 – at Notre Dame of Niles, 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 26 – Marmion, 1 p.m.*

* home games at St. Rita’s Cronin Field, 78th and Western
** Homecoming