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Mount Carmel Knocks Off Lincoln-Way East, Loyola Upset, Throy Nightingale Jr. goes for five touchdowns

Kyle Prondzinski|
Drew Kleinhans (4) leads Oswego over Bolingbrook to send the Panthers to their second straight semifinal appearance.
Drew Kleinhans (4) leads Oswego over Bolingbrook to send the Panthers to their second straight semifinal appearance. | Dean Rei

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) Class 8A football quarterfinals delivered major upsets and a historic milestone, with Mount Carmel knocking off top-seeded Lincoln-Way East, St. Ignatius upsetting Loyola Academy and New Trier reaching the state semifinals for the first time since 1982.

Mount Carmel Ends Lincoln-Way East's Season

Mount Carmel's pursuit of a fifth consecutive state championship remains alive after the Caravan defeated Lincoln-Way East 21-16 in the IHSA Class 8A quarterfinals in Frankfort.

The No. 8-seeded Caravan knocked off the top-seeded Griffins to advance to the semifinals, earning another postseason win over a program long considered among the state's best.

Lincoln-Way East also entered the quarterfinals without its starting quarterback, forcing the Griffins to rely on a different option under center. Despite the circumstances, Junior quarterback Tyler Spychalski and the Griffins held a 10-7 lead early in the fourth quarter before Mount Carmel rallied to take the lead.

The score remaining the same heading into the fourth.

The Griffins seemed to have one of the game's deciding moments as defensive back Pierre Pelts intercepted a pass, but the takeaway was wiped out by a pass-interference penalty.

The call raised some eyebrows, as it appeared Pelts didn't make contact and the wideout tripped over himself.

Mount Carmel still took advantage on the very next play, as Duran Sims scored on a jet sweep and reached over the goal line from five yards out to take the lead. 

The Caravan held on from there, with Brady Cloherty finding Quentin Burrell for a 27-yard TD to make it a two-score game, proving to be too much for a Griffin comeback. 

An End of an Era at Lincoln-Way East

The loss also marked the end of an era for Lincoln-Way East. Head coach Rob Zvonar, who is retiring, coached his final game with the Griffins.

Zvonar has coached the program since it started back in 2001. In that time, he went 264-49 (.843), clinching the playoffs each year and leading the Griffins to three state titles and six appearances. 

The school's football field bears his name, making the quarterfinal matchup an especially meaningful final chapter in his coaching career. Zvonar leaves behind a lasting legacy at Lincoln-Way East, where his name will remain part of the program for years to come.

New Trier Reaches the Semifinals for the First Time Since 1982

New Trier is headed to the Class 8A semifinals for the first time since 1982 after defeating Huntley 42-28.

The Trevians made a statement as soon as they got off the bus, scoring the first three touchdowns of the game just before the midway point of the second quarter. 

The No. 7-seeded Trevians were running downhill, led by Senior running back Throy Nightingale Jr., who finished with 309 rushing yards and five touchdowns, outscoring Huntley.

The win marks their eleventh win of the season, marking the Trevians' most since 1996.

The win sends the Trevians into the semifinals for the first time in 44 years. New Trier will host St. Ignatius in the next round.

St. Ignatius Upsets Loyola Academy in Quarterfinal Rematch

St. Ignatius flipped the script on Loyola Academy, earning a 21-16 victory in the Class 8A quarterfinals after losing the regular-season meeting 38-7 on Oct. 3.

The No. 11-seeded Wolfpack capitalized on key mistakes early. 

While up 7-0 in the final minute of the first quarter, Loyola looked to punch in the tying score. However, a snap too high for the Ramblers' Junior quarterback, Matthew Lee,  to corral led to a field goal.

Misques continued in the 2nd after Loyola scored to make it 9-7; the Ramblers muffed a punt on their own 14-yard line, leading to a Reid Hiets quarterback keeper that gave the Wolfpack the lead again.

Loyola had a chance to complete a late comeback after falling behind 21-9, scoring to get within one possession before getting an onside kick. The Ramblers moved into St. Ignatius territory, but the Wolfpack stopped a fourth-and-1 attempt with about a minute remaining to seal the victory.

The Wolfpack earned their tenth win of the season, doubling their total from the last two years (3-6 in 2024 and 2-7 last season).

The win sends St. Ignatius to the semifinals, where they will travel to Winnetka to face New Trier.

Oswego Pulls Away From Bolingbrook in Quarterfinal Rematch

Oswego avenged its only regular-season loss to Bolingbrook, earning a 31-7 victory in the Class 8A quarterfinals.

Oswego had lost to Bolingbrook 21-7 in Week 4, but the rematch was a different story. 

After Bolingbrook took a 7-3 lead with 2:10 remaining in the 1st, the Panthers controlled the next 38 minutes. Quarterback Drew Kleinhans delivered a standout performance, accounting for all four of the team's touchdowns: one through the air and three on the ground.

Kleinhans got things started midway through the second quarter, finding Ryan Wynn for a 36-yard touchdown reception.

After Kleinhans added a 1-yard QB sneak to make it 17-7, he showcased his ability to improvise. Kleinhans stepped up in the pocket only to be met by a Bolingbrook defender; he shrugged him off, tucked the ball into his left arm, and dodged another defender while diving for the pylon to add another six points for the Panthers.

Kleinhans earned his trust as he added a third rushing touchdown to seal the game on a simple QB power concept from three yards out to start the fourth quarter and punch their ticket to the semifinals for the second year in a row, and a rematch of the State final from a year ago when the Caravan came out on top 20-3.

Class 8A Semifinal Matchups

  • Oswego at Mount Carmel
  • St. Ignatius at New Trier
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Kyle Prondzinski
KYLE PRONDZINSKI

Kyle is a 2025 Graduate from the University of Iowa majoring in Journalism and Sport Studies. He has covered high school sports all around the Iowa City area, including games and feature stories, with his work published in the Solon Economist and The Gazette. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2026.

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