Joliet Catholic Academy Kicks Things Off

After one of the hottest months of July on record for Illinois, Ty Isaac was not worried about Joliet Catholic Academy’s drive for a 14th football state championship.

Just the drive to school, period.

“I woke up expecting high humidity, sweating all the way over here, but I looked outside first,” Isaac said, smiling from ear to ear. “I was like, ‘Oh, it’s going to be a good day.’ With the weather at 76 degrees, I thought to myself, ‘Man this is great.’”

For high school football fans, Wednesday represented one of the most anticipated spots on the schedule with the official kickoff of preseason practice. And Isaac, a returning 6-foot-3, 202-pound wingback, has had as good a summer as any in the Hilltoppers’ storied program.

On the heels of rushing for 563 yards and 4 touchdowns on 78 carries as a sophomore, Isaac hit the weight room and recruiting circuit, receiving scholarship offers from the University of Illinois, Northwestern, Arizona, Toledo and Notre Dame.

“Rudy,” Isaac said of JCA strength and conditioning coach Frances Ruettiger, “has been killing me.”

As such, Isaac is primed for a killer season along with Northwestern recruit and senior wingback Malin Jones, a 6-2, 200-pound speedster who rushed for 1,117 yards and 13 TDs on 107 carries last year.

“They certainly have the experience and they bring a wealth of knowledge,” said JCA coach Dan Sharp, who has posted a 151-28 record with six state titles and a runnerup finish in 14 years. “They look good.

“It’s probably the nicest first day we’ve ever had as far as sunshine and cool weather, and our kids responded well. We showed up in good shape, and even if the weather was hot, we would be good.”

Under IHSA rules, football teams are not allowed to practice in pads until Saturday. That means three days of conditioning for the players and teaching for the coaches.

“The good thing is nobody looks like they were sitting on the couch during the whole break since June,” Jones said. “Obviously, it’s a great day to start, but it’s really not our first day. Right now, we’re getting our conditioning in, but we’ll see when we put on the pads and get in our first scrimmage.”

“It’s nice to get the younger kids a lot of extra reps without the anxiety of contact,” Sharp pointed out. “They’re learning the systems, where to go to block, recognizing defenses and all the aspects that get more difficult when you put on the pads and play at full speed.”

In that mode, Malin Jones looks like a grown man already, either as that running back who unleashed an impressive, hand-timed 4.4-second 40-yard dash at the U.S. Army National combine in January in San Antonio or as a free safety. That’s a new line on his resume.

“Defense is a lot of fun,” Jones said. “My dad (Earl, a former NFL defensive back) is my position coach, which makes it even more interesting. But I love being a safety and I love those guys over there.”

Coming off a 10-2 season that ended with a 17-14 loss to Peoria Richwoods in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A playoffs, Sharp loves the start of JCA’s schedule. The Hillmen open with Carmel at home, then travel to Notre Dame, then return home to play host to Peoria Richwoods in a rematch.

“The standard here at JCA is pretty high,” Sharp said. “We always seem to play a schedule, which I like, where you have tough teams early in the year. You learn more about your team by playing those quality opponents right off the bat, and Carmel is going to be one of the best teams in the state.”

According to Illinois Prep, Carmel will begin the regular season ranked fifth and JCA eighth. The season opener kicks off at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 26, at Memorial Stadium.

To Isaac, that’s the main date circled on the calendar, although Wednesday’s start felt good. While a bevy of reporters will hound him about the recruiting angle, his mindset has been cemented.

“During the summer when we were off, I did some visits and checked off schools and after the season I’ll make my official visits, but there’s no real timetable,” Isaac said. “Right now, it’s time to concentrate on what matters the most, and that’s JCA football.”