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Hononegah Football

Hononegah Seeks First Postseason Step against Nazareth in High-Stakes 6A Playoff Showdown

You can smell playoff football in the air. 0

Harold Bone

Harold Bone

— 3 min read
Hononegah Seeks First Postseason Step against Nazareth in High-Stakes 6A Playoff Showdown

ROCKTON, IL - Nazareth Academy Roadrunners vs. Hononegah Indians — Saturday, November 1, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Moran Field

You can smell playoff football in the air. Nazareth Academy brings a familiar aura of championships to Moran Field Saturday, while the Hononegah Indians arrive with the kind of gritty, blue-collar resolve that makes this sport great. If the first quarter tells the story, we’re in for a barnburner or a statement game — either way, it’ll be worth the price of admission.

Key players & season stats:

      • Luke Injaychock, IOL (4-star) — anchor of line, 0 sacks allowed in 2025.
      • Chris Kasky, DE/OLB (3-star) — 9 sacks, 14 TFLs; game-wrecker on third down.
      • Trenton Walker, WR (3-star) — 48 catches, 760 yards, 9 TDs; reliable chain-mover and deep threat.
      • Lesroy Tittle, FB — 420 rushing yards, 6 TDs; physical north-south runner and key short-yardage weapon.
  • Hononegah Indians (5-4) — #16 seed

Season form: Lost back-to-back to Belvidere North (27-24) and Belvidere (8-6); rebounded earlier in the year with solid wins. First time ever to meet Nazareth on the gridiron.

  • Key strengths: Physical defensive front, special teams edge in field position, opportunistic secondary

Key players & season stats:

  • Max Benson, IOL — leader of line, have helped Hononegah run for 1700+ yards and score 28 rushing TDs in 2025.
  • Tyler Banker, RB — team leadering rushing with 11 TDs and 758 yards, will grind you into the ground, runs through arm tackles and would prefer to run you over then around you
  • Keegsan Vancil, LB —blitzing machine that can disrupt any offense, can blitz from his linebacker spot or delay his rush to get through the frontline, haven't seen a RB that can consistenly stop his blitzes, team leader with 11 TFLs
  • Brady Jarvis, WZR/S—does whatever his team needs to get the W, has played WR, S and LB this season, has an ability to rise to the occasion (see kickoff return before the half against Guilford), plays on nearly every special teams unit unless subbed out for a rest, has fought through minor injuries all season to remain on the field.

X’s and O’s Breakdown for the 1st round of the 6A IHSA Football Playoffs

Nazareth’s identity remains tied to Racki’s defensive acumen — primarily 3-5-3 and 4-2-5 looks, as well as aggressive blitz packages designed to fluster offenses into turnovers. Offensively, they mix power sets with tempo; Injaychock and Tittle make the inside game hum while Walker stretches the field.

Hononegah will try to shorten the game, win the trenches, and flip field position. Expect creative blitz pickup plans to neutralize Kasky and disciplined clock management to pull Nazareth out of rhythm. Make Nazareth play a tight low scoring football game that forces them to feel the pressure of being a #1 Seed.

Matchup to watch

  • Hononegah defensive line vs. Nazareth interior OL (Injaychock). If Hononegah can pressure early and tackles for loss, they’ll force quick decisions and limit Walker’s big-play chances. Conversely, Nazareth controlling the line of scrimmage opens play-action and the run game, forcing Hononegah to pay on the edges.

How the first quarter sets the tone

If Nazareth scores in chunks and sustains drives, Hononegah must play perfect, mistake-free football. If Hononegah wins early field position and hangs tough defensively, this game stretches into a mid-second-half thriller.

Broadcast information

If you can’t attend the game in LaGrange, listen to Andy Gannon and Tom Polaski on the WBEL app or at mostly90s.com for full coverage.

See you Saturday — bring a jacket and expect a classic small‑school vs. big‑school playoff test that could be decided by one turnover, one special-teams play, or four minutes of clock management.

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