Week 6 of the high school football season was a monumental one. The biggest showdown of the year lived up to the hype as Mount Carmel fought off Brother Rice for a 27-14 win.
Oak Lawn moved to 6-0 for the first time in program history and set up a showdown of its own. The crosstown game with Richards (5-1) will be the most hyped-up version in that rivalry ever.
And history was made in Frankfort. That’s where we’ll start with my takeaways from Week 6.
Most productive high school quarterback in Illinois history
I will never forget the first time I saw USC recruit Jonas Williams play football.
Coincidentally enough, it was at Lincoln-Way East. But Williams was playing for the away team on that night in 2022. He was a freshman leading Bolingbrook into Frankfort to take on the loaded Griffins.
It was Week 5 and Williams had already generated plenty of buzz. But come on. Surely the mighty Lincoln-Way East defense would teach this freshman some lessons and quiet down the hype.
In 13 other games that season, the Griffins allowed an average of 10 points. They went 13-1 and finished as a state runner-up. Even in the Class 8A championship game loss to Loyola, the defense dominated in a 13-3 defeat.
But on that night? The freshman carved them up. He threw for 402 yards and five touchdowns in a 42-32 loss.
Although I spent most of that night worrying that Jonas was going to ruin my story — I was only covering Lincoln-Way East and no one was going to be in a talkative mood after a loss — I was floored by the performance.
It’s never been more obvious that a player was going to be special.
And Williams sure has been.
On Friday night, Williams broke the Illinois High School Association record for career TD passes. He threw four to raise his career total to 131.
Next up? Williams is chasing the career passing yardage record, which Nazareth’s Logan Malachuk broke just last year. Malachuk finished with 11,190 yards. Williams is now at 10,491.
Williams has been impressive for more than just his throws, too. When I talked to Jonas as a sophomore while Bolingbrook struggled through a tough season, it was clear that he was already a poised leader.
After transferring to Lincoln-Way East, Williams has been under a brighter spotlight and continued to thrive.
As great as the records are, I know the one thing Williams really wants is a state title.
I wouldn’t bet against him getting one this year.
Oak Lawn, oh my!
It’s sure going to be a fun scene Friday night at Oak Lawn.
The Spartans play crosstown rival Richards every season and, honestly, the only question for most of the last two decades has been whether the Bulldogs would turn on the running clock.
The answer was yes last year, when Richards won 68-12. Oak Lawn has put up some good fights in other years but hasn’t beaten the Bulldogs since 2008.
This season, though, for the first time in a long time, this game matters beyond the local rivalry aspect.
The Spartans are one of the best stories in the state. Coming into the season on a 17-game losing streak, they are 6-0 for the first time in program history.
Oak Lawn has had a few running backs shine, including senior Alex Soto, junior Jayden Schlosser and sophomore Kamari Polk.
Senior quarterback Noah Escobedo has stood out for Richards, while senior running back/receiver/defensive back Ahmad Buchanan is a two-way star.
The Bulldogs, who have played a tougher schedule, are definitely the favorite here. But the Spartans bring confidence into this game for the first time in ages.
Check out my five games to watch later this week for a prediction.
Most eye-opening score
Providence 28, Marist 14.
The Celtics disappointingly missed the playoffs last season at 4-5. That’s not happening this year.
Providence (4-2) took care of a desperate Marist team. The young Celtics are clicking on offense behind sophomore quarterback Dominic Vita and the running back duo of senior Brayden McKay and junior Broden Mackert. The defense has been good all season.
This victory doesn’t just cement the Celtics as a playoff team. In my mind, it shows they can undoubtedly be a contender in Class 5A.
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