• Reporter 12
• 30 Aug, 2024

Despite its local success, Loyola, the state’s elite football program, hasn’t enjoyed the same respect in national rankings. The Ramblers traditionally haven’t had the high-profile recruits that lead to being included in those rankings. Nor do they play the circuit against other nationally ranked teams.

That makes Saturday a unique opportunity.

East St. Louis is the state’s premier program in terms of national rankings, appearing regularly on the lists and playing a national-level schedule. The Flyers will face the Ramblers at 7 p.m. at ISU’s Hancock Stadium in Normal, where East St. Louis fell to Mount Carmel in the season opener last year.

“It makes it easy when you’re starting out with such a great program like East St. Louis,” said Loyola coach Beau Desherow, who says he doesn’t even think about national rankings. “That got everyone’s attention early, and it’s what we’ve been preparing for.”

As always, East St. Louis is loaded. Safety Mekhi Mixon is a Grambling State recruit, defensive back Charles Bass is heading to Missouri, and running back TaRyan Martin has committed to Kent State.

The Flyers’ defense returns a strong core from last season. when it allowed an average of just 13 points per game and posted four shutouts while playing a tremendously difficult schedule.

East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett, now in his 24th season, has led the Flyers to four state championships, but they’ve dropped two of the last three Class 6A state-title games to Cary-Grove, whose triple-option offense has given them fits.

Loyola’s more traditional offense, led by Iowa recruit Ryan Fitzgerald at quarterback, should be easier for the Flyers to prepare for. They have Bass and Mixon as major forces in the secondary, along with Keylan LaGrant, a senior defensive lineman who has nine FBS scholarship offers.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Sunkett hasn’t yet named a starting quarterback yet to play behind an inexperienced
offensive line. Senior running back Larevious Woods rushed for 982 yards and 19 touchdowns last season.

Loyola, meanwhile, is ready to hit the ground running, with several returning starters on both sides. Fitzgerald, who passed for 2,141 yards and 20 touchdowns last season and ran for 634 yards and 14 TDs, could give the Ramblers an edge.

East St. Louis typically dazzles with size and speed. Its 31-17 win at Batavia in 2019 was one of the most impressive showings by any team in recent history. Last season at Hancock Stadium, with Mount Carmel ahead 36-19 in the fourth quarter, the Flyers scored twice in the final minute as the Caravan barely held on for a 36-33 win.

Saturday’s game is likely to attract football fans from all over Illinois. Loyola has opened the season out of state the last few years.

“For us, it doesn’t matter where we play,” said linebacker Charlie Daly, an Army recruit. “But East St. Louis at ISU is definitely going to get us hyped a little more. I’m excited.”