In terms of victories, the one the IC Catholic Prep football team recorded in Week 1 qualifies as pretty darned big.
The Knights defeated Nazareth Academy 35-21 in a game that featured a pair of No. 2-ranked teams. IC Catholic Prep was ranked second in the Illinois Media Class 3A state preseason poll, while Nazareth Academy, which reached the Class 6A state semifinals last year after winning three Class 5A state titles in a row from 2022-2024, was ranked No. 2 in the Class 6A preseason poll.
ICCP senior quarterback Nate Lang was 19-for-25 passing for 252 yards and three touchdowns. He completed 76 percent of his throws and averaged 13.3 yards per completion.
Sophomore running back Jakobe Baldwin ran 20 times for 221 yards and one touchdown. Baldwin averaged 11.1 yards per carry. Lang carried the ball five times for 44 yards. The Knights ran for 265 yards and averaged 10.6 yards per carry.
ICCP, which reached the Class 3A state quarterfinals a year ago, racked up 517 yards of total offense in the contest.
Lang hit eight different Knights receivers in the game. Junior Grant Bowen caught five passes for 112 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Will Schmidt had four catches for 25 yards, while senior Jaden Penna had three catches for 54 yards and Baldwin had three catches for 26 yards. Senior Anthony Carroccio caught two passes for 29 yards and one touchdown.
Penna had 47 yards in kickoff returns, while Schmidt had 32 interception return yards.
On the defensive side of the ball., 15 different Knights’ players made at least one tackle with Schmidt leading the way with eight (2 tackles for loss). Senior Jalen Banks had seven tackles (1 tackle for loss), while senior Romeo Woods had six tackles (2 tackles for loss). Senior Josh Shaw had five tackles (2 tackles for loss), while senior KJ Reese also had five tackles (1 tackle for loss). Carroccio had five tackles as well. Senior Cash Kasper had one tackle for loss.
The Knights racked up nine tackles for loss against Nazareth and three quarterback hurries. In addition to Schmidt’s interception, sophomore Donnel Sallis also had a pick.
IC Catholic Prep returns to action Friday at Illinois Wesleyan University in Bloomington against St. Mary’s South Side Catholic out of St. Louis, Missouri. Game time is 7 p.m.
