IC Catholic Prep football team punches playoff ticket

It’s back to the playoffs for the two-time defending state champions.

The IC Catholic Prep football team automatically qualified for the playoffs thanks to a 56-0 Metro Suburban Conference Blue Division victory against Aurora Central Catholic in Aurora.

The win moved IC Catholic Prep to 6-0 and earned an automatic playoff bid with its sixth victory. The Knights improved to 4-0 in MSC Blue play.

The Knights are in the playoffs for the fourth year in a row.

In the win against ACC, the Knights were efficient in their offensive attack, racking up 228 yards passing on 19 throws and running for 222 yards on a swift 18 carries (12.3 yards per carry).

Khalil Saunders completed 10 of 16 passes for 148 yards and a score, while Tommy Ryan was 2 of 3 for 80 yards and a touchdown.

Kyle Franklin ran seven times for 69 yards and two touchdowns. Rashad Sbeih ran two times for 57 yards and one touchdown, while Steven Crady ran three times for 56 yards and a touchdown. Will Cooke ran two times for 19 yards, while Saunders ran three times for 16 yards and a touchdown. Ryan had a five-yard touchdown run. Five different IC Catholic Prep runners scored a total of six touchdowns in the blowout.

Chauncey Lee caught two passes for 80 yards and a touchdown, while Kevin Cooke caught one pass for 37 yards. Khali Saunders caught two passes for 32 yards and a touchdown. Franklin caught two passes for 31 yards. Ryan Malek caught two passes for 17 yards. Jalen Bates caught one pass for 16 yards, while Crady also had a 16-yard catch. Jacob Lytton caught one pass for nine yards. IC Catholic Prep quarterbacks completed passes to eight different receivers.

Lytton also had 69 yards worth of kick and punt returns in the game, while Lee had 33 yards in interception returns and Malek had nine yards in that category.

On defense, IC Catholic Prep needed to make only 67 total tackles in the game. Cooke led the way with 13, while Dominick Krepulec had 12. Khalil Saunders added six tackles.

Ricky Mysliwiec had two tackles for loss, while Will Cooke, Corties Draper, Michael Johnson and Kevin Akins each had one tackle for loss.

IC Catholic Prep also amassed five quarterback sacks totaling 35 yards in losses and four quarterback hurries. Mysliwiec had two sackes, while Draper, Johnson and Akins each had one sack. Mysliwiec had 16 yards in losses, while Draper had eight. Johnson also had three hurries while AJ Howard had one.

Lee and Malek each had an interception, while Lee and Johnson each had two pass deflections. Mysliwiec and Danny Roberto each had one deflection. Crady caused a fumble, while Malek and Kevin Cooke each recovered a fumble.

Khali Saunders caught a 2-point conversion and Johnson registered a safety.