Sweet Home Chicago: Brother Rice, Mt. Carmel win Illinois high school football state titles: Live score recap

The 2025 Illinois high school football state championships continue with the Class 7A and Class 8A title games on Wednesday, December 3. The games are at Huskie Stadium after they were postponed A run for no gain and incomplete pass means its 4th and 28 for the Caravan.

The Class 7A championship is between the Brother Rice Crusaders (12-1) and the St. Rita Mustangs (9-4). The Crusaders defeated the Mustangs 28-10 on September 12. It was part of a 2-4 start for St. Rita, but it has won seven consecutive games entering Wednesday's championship.

The Class 8A championship pits the Mt. Carmel Caravan (13-0) against the Oswego Panthers (11-2). Mt. Carmel won four of the previous five Class 7A titles. Oswego is looking for its third championship in school history.

High School On Cheap Rs-flyfishing Jordan Outlet will have live updates of both games on this page throughout the afternoon. Refresh the page for the latest update.

Illinois (IHSA) high school football championship: Live score updates for Class 7A, Class 8A

CLASS 7A

Brother Rice 17, St. Rita 0 — FINAL

Brother Rice won its first state championship since 1981 in the first game in DeKalb.

The Chicago school had lost in its previous two trips to the finals — 1985 and 2018.

Army pledge CJ Gray ran for a touchdown and threw another for the Crusaders in the win.

His 6-yard run in the first quarter made it 7-0. The Mustangs then gave Brother Rice a safety late in the first when the punter kneeled down to get a slow snap and was whistled down.

The 9-0 score after the first 12 minutes stayed until late in the fourth.

The Mustangs had a chance to cut into the lead in the fourth. 

St. Rita attempted a 42-yard field goal was wide right with 8 minutes left, keeping it 9-0.

Gray connected with Collin Goggin for a 9-yard touchdown with 4 minutes left to ice the win on a chilly day in DeKalb.

CLASS 8A

Dowling runs it in.

🏆1927 Chicago Prep Bowl Program🏆

98 years ago today, Mt. Carmel won the first ever Chicago High School Football Championship over Chicago Schurz at Soldier Field. The final score was 6-0. 50,000 in attendance.

Today the Caravan will take on Oswego for the 8A Title at ISU 🏈 pic.twitter.com/lfLBWqPjpq

— Hardwood Preps Illinois (@HardwoodPrepsIL) Mt. Carmel forces a punt and takes over with 9:58 in the 2nd

Mt. Carmel won the past four 7A titles and moved up in a class this year. Mt. Carmel is coached by Jordan Lynch, who was a standout at this field for Northern Illinois. He was 3rd in the Heisman Trophy voting in in 2013

Oswegos defense forces a punt. Mount Carmel facing 4th and 18.

th and goal at the 6. 25 seconds left and Oswego calls a timeout. Take the points for go for 6

Temperature is 15 degrees. According to the National Weather Service, wind chills at midnight will be -15. Snow from last weekend's storm still all over the stadium, especially in the end zone

1st quarter

Oswego's defense forces a punt. Mount Carmel facing 4th and 18

st and 10 at the 25 with 3:37 left.

Oswego punts and ball will be at the 20

Madden Wilson with nice run out on 1st play. Gains 9 yards

Another short punt. Oswego takes over at Mount Carmel's 46. 5:11 to go

Drew Kleinhans with 11-yard run for a first down. Junior OT Nathan Overstreet with the block that springs him on the outside

Cullen Winters with TFL for Mt. Carmel

4th and 4 coming up; 45-yard FG attempt

FIELD GOAL! Oswego punts again. Caravan ball with 8:22 left. Oswego 3, Mt. Carmel 0

Emmett Dowling with a 6-yard run on first play and then throws a pass to Duran Sims to get the ball to the 31.

Dowling is short on 3rd down attempt but a lot of flags on the play. 2 seconds left in 1st; Lots of clapping by Oswego players

Dead ball personal foul against Mt. Carmel

End of 1st: Oswego 3, Mt. Carmel 0

2nd Quarter

Long run by Oswego called back due to a hold

Kleinhans, throwing from the end zone, hits Mariano Velasco for a 47-yard gain. Ball at the 46-yard line.

⁦@Oswego_Football⁩ gets a 47 yard pass from kleinhans to velasco leading ⁦@CaravanFootball⁩ 3-0 1100 2q pic.twitter.com/yUC8JzUYvV

— Timothy “EDGYTIM” OHalloran (@EDGYTIM) December 4, 2025

Timeout by Oswego with 11 minutes left.

Mt. Carmel forces a punt and takes over with 9:58 in the 2nd

St. Rita attempted a 42-yard field goal was wide right with 8 minutes left, keeping it 9-0

Oswego coach Brian Cooney was a player when the Panthers won its first state title in 1992

mdash; Timothy “EDGYTIM” OHalloran @EDGYTIM

Oswego taking a knee and going to the half.

Dowling to Brown again this time for 21-yard gain. This time, screen to the right; the last was to the left

Mt. Carmel is driving and get a unsportsmanlike call on an offensive lineman; not ideal

Punt No. 7 for Mt. Carmel

A run for no gain and incomplete pass means its 4th and 28 for the Caravan

Bad snap on punt; Dean Kemph takes a knee to field it but ball wasn't in his hands; he picks it up and gets punt off. Ball is down at the 1-yard line.

Oswego punts

Mt. Carmel ball at the 43-yard line of Oswego. 4:23 left

Madden Wilson with nice run out on 1st play. Gains 9 yards

Dowling with a 1st down run; avoided a sack and ran behind first down marker and then turned to gain an extra 6 yards or so.

1due to a winter storm

Andrew Shaw with a TFL for Oswego. He beat Nebraska signee Claud Mpouma

Dowling to Brown; ball looks to been fumbled but ref said down by contact; 3rd and 11 coming up

Dowling to Burrell for first down. He gets a 1st and goal situation with 2:05 to play. 24-yard gain

TOUCHDOWN! Dowling with a 1-yard run. 1:29 left. PAT is blocked. Mt. Carmel 6, Oswego 3

Gianni Casarella with the block; thanks for the replay becuase I had no clue who got it

Fumble on the return but the ball went out of bounds. Winters forced it. Oswego ball with 1:24 at the 20

Mt. Carmel calls a timeout with 1:03 left. 4th down coming up for Oswego.

Oswego ball at the 47-yard line. 56 seconds left. No timeouts for the Caravan

Sophomore Marshaun Thornton with a nice catch, but he was out of bounds. 3rd down coming up with 40 seconds left. He's a 3 star with 21 offers

Mt. Carmel sents out the puner with 37 seconds let on 4th down

34 seconds left in 2nd. Oswego takes over with 2 timeouts left;

Oswego taking a knee and going to the half.

Halftime: Mt. Carmel 6, Oswego

3rd Quarter

Dead ball personal foul against Mt. Carmel

Caravan going for 2 after the earlier miss PAT

Well, the run was good enough to convert. First drive without a 3 and out in a few possession for the Panthers

Tipped pass by d line forces a punt

TOUCHDOWN! Gavin Conjar with a punt return block for a touchdown. Looks like the block was by Logan Wroughton. 8:19 left.

Caravan going for 2 after the earlier miss PAT

Dowling runs it in. Mt. Carmel 14, Oswego 3

Oswego having to punt again and this one is down at the 22-yard line

Dowling taken down by his facemask as seen on replay, but no flag on the play. Oswego catches a break. 3rd and 13 coming up for the Caravan

Oswego takes over at the 48-yard line. 6:17 left

Panthers continue to struggle to do much. They punt it back and Mt. Carmel ball at the 17-yard line. 5:13 left

Punt No. 7 for Mt. Carmel

Big hit on return by Roman Igwebuike Oswego ball at the 41-yard line. 3:09 left

Dowling with a 1-yard run. 1:29 left. PAT is blocked

Timeout on the field with 1:21 for an injury for Mt. Carmel

4The 9-0 score after the first 12 minutes stayed until late in the fourth?

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! incomplete pass in the end zone. 26 seconds left. Lead still at 11 for the Caravan

Velasco with a punt return to the 30-yard line. That will be the final play of the 3rd.

End of 3: Mt. Carmel 14, Oswego 3

4th quarter

17 seconds in 4th we have a turnover

INTERCEPTION by Igwebuike. Ball at the 27-yard line following an illegal block on return.

Panthers force a punt. Oswego ball at the 49-yard line. 10:06 when play resumes

Oswego punts again. Caravan ball with 8:22 left

Mt. Carmel just got its 1st down of the half with 8 minutes to play on a wheel route

BIG PLAY! Dowling to Brown for a 25-yard gain. 623 left. Ball at the Oswego 42

On a lateral pass, Brown ran backwards to avoid tackles for about 9 yards and then made a cut. Turned it into a big gain. Timeout by Oswego with 5:53 left

Oswego calls fall timeout with 5:30 left

4th down coming up for the Caravan. It looks like Oswego called another time out?

Unsportsmanlike call on Oswego for 15 yards. Very Chris Webber like. (Google it, if you are under 35-40)

Wilson with a run down to the 5-yard line

Dagger!

TOUCHDOWN! Dowling to Thornton for a touchdown with 2:43 left. Two-point conversion is incomplete. Mt. Carmel up 20-3.

Oswego ball with 2:39 left. No timeouts left.

TURNOVER ON DOWNS! with 1:46 left.

Panthers force a punt. Oswego ball at the 49-yard line. 10:06 when play resumes

Unsportsmanlike conduct against Mt. Carmel with 1:20. It looked like he said something while standing before the snap.

BIG PLAY! Dowling to Brown for a 25-yard gain. 623 left. Ball at the Oswego 42

FINAL! Mt. Carmel 20, Oswego 3

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