Northern Illinois University to Host State Championships Every Other Year

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Beginning next fall and then every odd year through 2021, Northern Illinois will be the host of the Illinois High School Association state football championships.

The IHSA announced Monday that NIU was chosen as the site over bids from Illinois State and Southern Illinois.

The move away from the University of Illinois on odd years was made necessary because of the new Big Ten schedule that has the Illini playing at home on Thanksgiving weekend, the same weekend of the state title games.

Loyola Academy to Play in Ireland

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: MG Helmets

Loyola Academy will play quite a road game this year when it hops on a plane to play in Dublin, Ireland.

The Ramblers will play Dallas Jesuit from Texas in the Global Ireland Football Tournament (GIFT 2012) on August 31st.

Last season, Loyola lost to Bolingbrook in the Class 8A championship game after a perfect regular season.  Dallas Jesuit finished 8-3 with a first round loss in the Texas Class 5A Division II playoffs.

In addition to the Loyola/Jesuit match-up, Hamilton (Arizona) will face Notre Dame (California) and Father Judge (Pennsylvania) squares off with Notre Dame Prep (Arizona).  Kent School (Connecticut) will play a game against a team of British All-Stars.

The games will be played the same weekend that Notre Dame will play Navy in Dublin.

To learn more about GIFT 2012, click here to listen to my interview with Global Football founder Patrick Steenberge, a former Notre Dame quarterback, who came-up with the idea of American high school football teams playing the first-ever regular season games overseas.

Sterling's Greg King Steps Down

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Courtesy: MG Helmets

After 10 successful years leading the Sterling football program, Greg King is stepping down as the school's head coach.

King, who is the school's athletic director, amassed a 78-28 record and ten straight straight playoff appearances.

A search for King's successor will begin once the school board accepts his resignation.

National Letter of Intent Signing Day - Illinois High Schools

Joseph Jones - RB (Plano) - Northwestern
Malin Jones - RB (Joliet Catholic) - Northwestern
Dean Lowry - DE (Boylan Catholic) - Northwestern
Dan Vitale - DB (Wheaton-Warrenville South) - Northwestern

Bryan Stortz Leaves Lake Zurich for Rock Island

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After six years at the helm of the Lake Zurich football program, Bryan Stortz has resigned to take the head coaching job at Rock Island.

Stortz, who led Lake Zurich to the 2007 Class 7A state title, replaces Vic Boblett, who led the Rocks to a 170-60 overall record in 21 years.

Since 2006, Stortz owns a 19-5 playoff record, which included two runner-up finishes in '06 and '10.

Coaching Moves

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

After taking a couple of weeks off for the holidays, it's time to catch-up on some coaching moves.

Fenwick High School has hired Gene Nudo as its new head coach.  Nudo, who has spent the better back of the last two decades in the Arena Football League, won an Illinois high school football state championship in 1991 when he was the head coach at Driscoll.

Last year was a tough year for Fenwick.  After a 1-2 start, head coach Joe DiCanio was relieved of his duties.  Athletic Director Scott Thies then took over leading the team to a 4-6 overall record.

Another Chicago school, Curie is looking or a new head coach after Tyson LaBlanc resigned to take-over as head coach at Oswego East.

LaBlanc led Curie to the 2010 Chicago Public League title where it lost to Fenwick in the 2010 Prep Bowl.  LaBlanc's overall record was 33-27 in five seasons.

The Oswego East job opened-up after Mark Green resigned after seven seasons and a 14-49 record.  The Wolves have never made the post-season and finished 2-7 this year.

Metea Valley also in the market for a new coach after Ted Monken resigned after two years on the job.  MV, which will be playing its third year of varsity football in 2012, finished 1-8 and 4-5 under Monken, whose father Bob is a member of the Illinois High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame.

Before coming to Metea Valley, Monken had a five year run at St. Charles East.

Paralyzed Football Player Dies After 11-Year Battle

by Jeff Fisher
High School Football America

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of Rasul "Rocky" Clark, who passed away Thursday 11-years after being paralyzed in a high school football game in 2000.

Clark was a junior running back for Eisenhower High School when he was injured in a game against Oak Forest High School. Clark was paralyzed from the neck down when his head hit the ground after being tackled during the game.