Ramblers roll into quarterfinals a seventh straight season

Loyola Academy's football team was off and running.

On the Ramblers' first play from scrimmage Nov. 5 in Edwardsville, quarterback Jake Stearney ran 74 yards to set up Loyola's first touchdown, a 3-yard run by Johnny McGuire.

It was the first of many touchdowns in Loyola's 49-21 Class 8A second-round victory over the host Tigers.

No. 6 seed Loyola (10-1) led 35-0 at halftime and 42-7 through three quarters over No. 22 Edwardsville (7-4).

Sophomore Luke Foster, in for starting running back Will Nimesheim, who was injured in the first-round game against Plainfield South and may be out for the season, ran 20 times for 166 yards and touchdowns of 30, 13 and 1 yards.

Loyola advanced to the 8A quarterfinals for the seventh straight full season and the 11th time in the past 12 full seasons.

At 1 p.m. Nov. 12 at Hoerster Field, the Ramblers will host No. 14 Lyons Township (9-2) out of the tough West Suburban Silver, a 24-13 upset winner over No. 3 Plainfield South.

Led by Foster, Ryan Craddock, Stearney and Peter Hogan, Loyola gained 399 yards on the ground against Edwardsville. Craddock ran for 96 yards with a 48-yard touchdown run to give the Ramblers their 42-7 lead late in the third quarter.

Stearney passed only 9 times, completing 7 of them, including a 4-yard touchdown strike to Declan Forde, his team-leading 11th touchdown catch of the season.