DE KALB, Ill. (AP) — Quarterback Quayvon Skanes scored four rushing touchdowns and passed for another as Wendell Phillips Academy became the first Chicago Public League school to win a state football championship with a 51-7 victory over Althoff Catholic of Belleville.
Phillips (14-0) spotted Althoff (13-1) a touchdown, and then scored the next 51 points behind Skanes’ heroics.
Skanes’ 41-yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter evened the score at 7-7, and his 31-yard rush up the middle gave the Wildcats a lead they never relinquished.
The Connecticut-committed speedster gained 141 yards on 13 carries and was 3-of-9 passing for 44 yards.
Skanes’ third score came four plays after teammate Anthony Davis recovered Malik Easley’s fumble of the second half’s opening kickoff, one of five Althoff turnovers.
Kamari Mosby added a score for Phillips on a 151-yard rushing performance.
Phillips dropped a 49-28 decision to Rochester in last year’s 4A championship game. This season, no team came closer than 11 points, and the Wildcats scored five shutouts.
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Althoff’s lone score was a 9-yard pass from Jordan Augustine to C.J. Coldon on the Crusaders’ opening drive. After that, Augustine was pressed often and sacked six times, losing 47 yards.
The state playoffs began in 1974, but only two Chicago Public League teams had previously advanced to title games. Aside from Phillips last year, Robeson advanced to the 5A title game in 1982, losing 16-12 to Rockford Guilford.