NORMAL — Chicago Christian football is in the blood of Kenny Jager.
The senior running back has two younger brothers on the team — Henry, a sophomore, and Levi, a freshman. Their dad, Ken Sr., also played for the Knights.
So, you can bet the celebrations will be just about endless in the Jager household after Kenny carried the Knights to the program’s first state title and first in any boys sport for the school, which opened in 1918.
“My little brothers are going to be running around like crazy,” Kenny said. “I’m so happy they can experience something like this. My dad is an alum of Chicago Christian football, and I’ve already seen him crying. He’s freaking out, too. It’s going to be crazy in my house.”
Jager ran wild Friday afternoon at Hancock Stadium, piling up 223 yards and a touchdown on 38 carries to lead the Knights to a dominant 47-0 win over Maroa-Forsyth in the Class 2A state championship game.
Christian Flutman completed 12 of 16 passes for 132 yards and two TDs and ran for 86 yards and three more scores on just eight attempts for the Knights (13-1). Niko Griggs and Kerry Teague each contributed a TD catch and Blake Denman added a TD run.
Brock Sperling came through with a sack, three tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery to lead the defense as the Knights held Maroa-Forsyth (12-2) to a 2A championship game record-low 23 yards.
Jager set the tone on Chicago Christian’s first offensive possession, running for a 27-yard TD and dragging a defender for the final eight yards.
First-year Knights coach CJ Cesario has become accustomed to seeing that.
“Kenny’s been doing this for 14 weeks,” Cesario said. “But I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a young man have the same consistent resilience and relentlessness to be able to do it carry after carry, week after week.
“I’ve never met a young man as tough as him. It’s just that simple. He’s lightning in a bottle. He’s got a huge heart. He might be 5-foot-7, but he plays like he’s 6-foot-10.”
Jager has never worried about his small stature.
“I honestly think my height is an advantage at running back,” Jager said. “I have the strength to be able to run through people, and really all I do is hug the ball, put my head down and run full speed.
“I don’t think I’m afraid of contact.”
Perhaps the biggest sign it was Chicago Christian’s day came in the final 20 seconds of the first half, when Flutman threw a deep pass toward Eddie Van Dellen.
Van Dellen took a hard hit as he attempted to make the catch, which sent the ball flying into the air. It was tipped by a defender and right into the hands of Griggs, who dashed for a 59-yard TD.
Griggs followed with a 2-point conversion run to make it 21-0.
“I thought it was going to be picked, so I ran in to make a tackle and the defender tipped it right up into my arms,” Griggs said. “I just kept running all the way to the end zone.
“It was great for me because it was my first touchdown all year. I had one Week 1 that was like a 50-yard catch that got called back, and I’ve been looking for another one all year.”
Flutman ran for two TDs in the second half as the Knights poured it on.
Chicago Christian had nine seniors who started on both sides of the ball. Many of them have been together since kindergarten at Chicago Christian’s grade schools in Tinley Park and Oak Lawn.
Now, they are state champions.
“It’s a whole new feeling,” Flutman said. “It still hasn’t sunk in yet. Later, it’s going to hit me and I’m going to start bawling my eyes out.
“There’s no better way to end my high school football career than this.”
