Bishop McNamara hasn't had much luck against IC Catholic Prep recently, but that could start to change on Friday. The Fightin' Irish will face off against the Knights at 7:00 p.m. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Bishop McNamara is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They put the hurt on Herscher with a sharp 38-14 victory. The Fightin' Irish's win was nothing new given the team hasn't lost yet this season.
Karter Krustinger
| 10/31/25 vs Herscher | 183 |
| 09/19/25 vs Chicago Christian | 108 |
| 09/26/25 @ Aurora Christian | 70 |
| 08/30/25 vs Lawrenceville | 68 |
| 10/10/25 @ Wheaton Academy | 66 |
Karter Krustinger was nothing short of spectacular: he threw for 183 yards and three touchdowns on only ten passes, and also rushed for 56 yards and one score. Those 183 passing yards gave him a new career-high. Julius May helped out on the ground, rushing for 88 yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Bishop McNamara was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 214 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 214 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Meanwhile, IC Catholic Prep took their game on Saturday with ease, bagging a 42-13 victory over Chicago Hope Academy. Given the Knights' advantage in MaxPreps' Illinois football rankings (they are ranked 44th, while Chicago Hope Academy are ranked 160th) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Bishop McNamara better keep an eye on Nate Lang. He was instrumental in IC Catholic Prep's win, throwing for 257 yards and five TDs while completing 77.3% of his passes. Another player making a difference was Will Schmidt, who picked up 81 receiving yards and a pair of scores.
One reason for the win was IC Catholic Prep's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. That dominant display was truly a team effort as four different players picked up one apiece.
Bishop McNamara's record is now 10-0. As for IC Catholic Prep, their record now sits at 7-3.
We should be in store for an exciting game as the two teams have no problem gaining yardage. Bishop McNamara has been on an offensive roll this season, having averaged 391.1 total yards per game. However, it's not like IC Catholic Prep struggles in that department as they've been averaging 379.3 total yards. With a pair of commanding offenses duking it out, the defenses are going to have their work cut out for them.
Bishop McNamara was taken down by IC Catholic Prep 47-0 when the teams last played back in October of 2022. Thankfully for the Fightin' Irish, Dennis Mandala (who threw for 172 yards and four touchdowns while completing 80% of his passes) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
