Junior linebacker Gabe Kaminski of Riverside embodied the spirit of the Nazareth Academy football team’s defense against offensive juggernaut St. Francis in Saturday’s Class 5A state semifinals.
With the Roadrunners trying to stop first-and-goal at the 4-yard line just before halftime, the 6-foot-3, 230-pound third-year starter was a one-player highlight film.
Over the next three plays, Kaminski tackled for a 1-yard loss, hurried the quarterback into an incomplete pass and delivered a head-on stop to keep the rusher at the 2. The Spartans settled for a field goal.
“Not many (personal series) like that. That was great to stop them and hold them to only three (points),” Kaminski said.
“I started as a freshman so the wisdom from all of the losses, all of the wins, all of the moments of our seasons, the ups and downs, it’s helped me tremendously and it helps me lead some of the younger guys.”
The Roadrunners (8-5) once again rose to the occasion on their home turf to pull out a 38-31 victory in LaGrange Park and advance to the state championship game against Joliet Catholic (10-3) at 10 a.m. Saturday at Illinois State University in Normal.
Nazareth, the defending 5A state champs, began the season 0-4 but have won eight of its last nine games and avenged the only loss in that stretch – 35-17 to St. Francis Oct. 20 also at home.
Now the Roadrunners have become the first team with five or more losses to reach the state championship game. Last season’s 10-4 team became the fourth to win a state title with four losses and the first after a 2-4 start.
“It’s definitely been different but a similar start (to last year). We were 1-4 and persevered and got here,” Kaminski said.
“Hopefully a (championship) ring on our fingers. That would be great. Just the experience of playing on one of the biggest stages at ISU (is exciting).”
Junior Johnny Colon of Brookfield played on special teams in last year’s 45-44 championship victory over Peoria, which was held at the University of Illinois. This season, he’s the holder and handled all five extra points Saturday as well as a 21-yard field goal by Andrew Fowler from long-snapper Richard Skinkis.
“We needed a guy. I started practicing with the long snapper the whole summer and got the job,” said Colon, also a reserve in the defensive secondary.
“This means a lot for us. I’m very grateful for this opportunity. Let’s get this done. Honestly, (I’m looking forward to) just the excitement.”
All of the Roadrunners’ losses have come to opponents that have at least reached the state quarterfinals. After losing three of their first four by a combined 10 points, they have won their last two by a combined 11.
“This is my most resilient team I’ve ever had. I’ve never been 4-5 going into the playoffs,” said Nazareth coach Tim Racki, who has coached the Roadrunners to four state titles.
“Now the close games are falling our favor. That’s football. (Saturday) could have went either way until the end. Our red-zone defense was incredible. (Junior quarterback Logan Malachuk) and our offense, offensive line, credit to them. We knew they were going to hit big plays but we’ve been kind of callused in a football way to where we don’t get phased by being down or punched in the mouth. We know how to respond.”
One of many returning starters, Malachuk delivered 34- and 25-yard TD runs and was 14-for-25 passing for 186 yards. Lesroy Tittle’s 82 rushing yards included an electrifying 52-yard TD run for a 10-0 lead and a 2-yard TD run with 11:18 left for the Roadrunners’ final score.
Eddie McClain Jr. had an 11-yard TD run to open a 24-7 lead with 7:20 left in the first half, but St. Francis (10-3) closed to 24-17 at halftime with the field goal and closed to 38-31 on a TD with 3:00 remaining. The Roadrunners managed to run out the clock thanks to a slant pass to Trenton Walker on third-and-3 from their 16 followed by 6- and 9-yard runs from McClain.
“Nothing can compare to this. The feeling right now is ecstatic,” Malachuk said.
“We just changed our mindset (from the earlier loss) and that was really just it. This game we were connecting on all cylinders.”
St. Francis had won eight straight and scored at least 31 points in each of those victories. Senior quarterback and Ball State recruit Alessio Milivojevic passed for 312 yards and TDs of 55, 46, 32 and 28 yards. But two more defensive red-zone stops always kept the Roadrunners ahead.
“When we needed big stop, they got them,” Malachuk said. “That’s what our defense gives to us.”
On the drive before the Spartans’ 19-yard field goal, a 47-yard pass play created first-and-goal at the 7. After a tackle for loss by Ethan Enriquez, sack by Luciano Cesario and incomplete pass, they went for it on fourth-and-goal at the 15. Milivojevic scrambled and darted for the corner of the end zone but was stopped at the 2.
After Nazareth pulled ahead 38-24, Ian Willis (131 reception yards, 2 TDs) returned the ensuing kickoff to the 24. The drive ended at the 16 when the Spartans were unable to convert a fourth-and-2 pass.
“We preach prevent. We didn’t do a great job but we were stuffing them all game,” Kaminski said. “We kept a pretty good gap, at least a touchdown or two, for most of the game so that helped a lot.”
Junior lineman Nolan Daly began the defense’s big plays with his interception of a fourth-and-1 halfback shovel pass at the Spartans’ 31, leading to Fowler’s field goal.
Daly had been sidelined for three weeks with a disc injury but was cleared to return five days earlier.
“I was planning on being out for the rest of the year but I was able to get back. It was definitely unexpected,” Daly said.
Kaminski leads the defense with 117 tackles and 17 sacks. Offensively, he plays tight end and wing to help with blocking and has six catches for 150 yards.
Malachuk has 3,062 passing yards and 29 TDs with three interceptions. Amazingly, he’s only been sacked eight times. This season, one of the starting linemen is his freshman brother, left guard Christian Malachuk.
“He practiced with us on varsity over the summer but I thought (he’s) only a freshman, and game one, they put him right in. And here we are,” Malachuk said. “It’s super awesome. Stuff like that doesn’t happen at all most of the time and to be able to play football with him on the same level, that’s truly a blessing.”