Junior defensive lineman Brayden Parks was always confident it would be a successful year for Brother Rice. He knew the defense had the potential to be one of the greatest in school history.
The only question was whether the Crusaders could finally break through and complete the task of winning the program’s first state championship since 1981.
Parks and Co. made sure they would not fall short. Dream season, indeed.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” Parks said. “To go through all those years and all those workouts. This is what we work for week in and week out. We came, we saw, we won.”
Parks came through with six tackles, including 3 1/2 for loss, and also had three pass breakups to do his part in a dominant defensive effort Wednesday night as Brother Rice topped Catholic League rival St. Rita 16-0 in the Class 7A state championship game at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb.
Army recruit CJ Gray ran for 80 yards and a touchdown and threw a 9-yard TD pass to Colin Goggin to lead the Crusaders (13-1). Jaylin Green ran for 104 yards on 23 carries. Kameron McGee contributed two sacks and four tackles for loss.
It’s the second state title in football for Brother Rice.
“We were doing what we’ve been able to do all year,” McGee said. “I think, personally, we’ve got the best defense in the country. All these guys around me, we all bought in from Jan. 6 at 6 a.m. and now December whatever it is, we’re here.”
Jack Schapendonk totaled 12 tackles for St. Rita (9-5), which came in riding a seven-game winning streak. Brandon Johnson Jr. ran for 54 yards on 13 carries, while Donovan Evans finished with four catches for 37 yards.
The Mustangs, who had scored 110 points over their last two games, were held to 160 yards.
Parks was a big part of a Crusaders defensive front that was relentless in stopping St. Rita.
“There are only five offensive linemen and there are four of us on the D-line, so you’re not going to be able to double team at least three of us,” he said. “We’ll get that one-on-one and we’ll get in there, no doubt.”
Parks, who was named the Catholic League Blue’s co-defensive player of the year, is rated as a four-star recruit by Rivals.com and has offers from many prominent programs including Alabama, Ohio State and Notre Dame.
Accolades aside, he has committed himself to continuing to get better.
“My run defending took a big step,” Parks said. “I worked on that all offseason. I’ve gotten better in pass rush, too. Being explosive off the ball. Being quick. Being powerful. Just using my hands.”
The Crusaders took an early lead on Gray’s 6-yard TD run and were up 9-0 before Gray hit Goggin for the insurance TD with 4:10 to go.
“I’ve kind of gotten close with CJ these last few years,” Goggin said. “I look at him as another one of my brothers. To be able to do that with him was probably one of the best moments of my life — to be there with him and get to celebrate with him.”
There will be plenty of celebrating to come. The Crusaders — who lost state championship games in 2018 and 1985 and have seen many other highly touted teams fall short in the playoffs — have title No. 2 at long last.
“It definitely feels good, especially with these guys,” Brother Rice coach Casey Quedenfeld said. “The Class of ’26 came in when I moved here from Houston and they bought into a vision.
“And now it just came into fruition.”
Plus, that defense? Parks saw it grow into a dominant group.
“This team and this defense, we’ve all been close and we’ve developed that bond,” Parks said. “We always go out there feeling like we’re going to win. With all that talent around me, I know we’re going to get it done.”
