St. Rita Punches Ticket to Class 7A Title Game with Dominant Win Over Batavia
In a thrilling matchup, St. Rita Mustangs secured their ticket to the Class 7A title game by beating Batavia 54-34 in the semifinals on Saturday. The No. 16 team improved to 9-4 and will now face off against top-ranked Brother Rice next week at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
The turning point for St. Rita came in the third quarter, where they outscored Batavia 26-0 to take control of the game. Senior quarterback Steven Armbruster led the charge with 249 yards and four touchdowns passing, while senior Walter Jones hauled in six catches for 111 yards and two scores.
This victory marks the second consecutive week that St. Rita has scored over 50 points, showcasing their growing momentum. The team's confidence is palpable, with both Armbruster and Jones crediting their hard work in practice as the key to their recent success.
"We believe in ourselves, we believe in each other, and we believe in our coaching," Armbruster said. "We're really showing what we can do right now."
Coach Martin Hopkins echoed this sentiment, stating that his team's offense is starting to gel and take care of its part of the game. The win also marks a significant boost for St. Rita's playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, Batavia fought hard but ultimately fell short against the Mustangs' explosive offense. Junior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren had 290 yards passing with three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to overcome St. Rita's dominant performance.
The Bulldogs coach, Dennis Piron, praised his team's resilience and determination, saying that they would fight until the very end. Despite the loss, Batavia will look forward to a rematch against Brother Rice in their next matchup.
St. Rita's journey to the state title game marks the third time the program has reached this milestone. With a renewed sense of confidence and momentum on their side, the Mustangs are ready to take on the best that Illinois has to offer.
In a thrilling matchup, St. Rita Mustangs secured their ticket to the Class 7A title game by beating Batavia 54-34 in the semifinals on Saturday. The No. 16 team improved to 9-4 and will now face off against top-ranked Brother Rice next week at Hancock Stadium in Normal.
The turning point for St. Rita came in the third quarter, where they outscored Batavia 26-0 to take control of the game. Senior quarterback Steven Armbruster led the charge with 249 yards and four touchdowns passing, while senior Walter Jones hauled in six catches for 111 yards and two scores.
This victory marks the second consecutive week that St. Rita has scored over 50 points, showcasing their growing momentum. The team's confidence is palpable, with both Armbruster and Jones crediting their hard work in practice as the key to their recent success.
"We believe in ourselves, we believe in each other, and we believe in our coaching," Armbruster said. "We're really showing what we can do right now."
Coach Martin Hopkins echoed this sentiment, stating that his team's offense is starting to gel and take care of its part of the game. The win also marks a significant boost for St. Rita's playoff hopes.
Meanwhile, Batavia fought hard but ultimately fell short against the Mustangs' explosive offense. Junior quarterback Michael Vander Luitgaren had 290 yards passing with three touchdowns, but it wasn't enough to overcome St. Rita's dominant performance.
The Bulldogs coach, Dennis Piron, praised his team's resilience and determination, saying that they would fight until the very end. Despite the loss, Batavia will look forward to a rematch against Brother Rice in their next matchup.
St. Rita's journey to the state title game marks the third time the program has reached this milestone. With a renewed sense of confidence and momentum on their side, the Mustangs are ready to take on the best that Illinois has to offer.
I'm loving how St. Rita is crushing it in the Class 7A semis! Their offense is looking super fierce, and it's amazing to see the chemistry between Armbruster and Jones. They're really selling the whole "believe in yourself" thing, and it's awesome to see it pay off on the field 
What I think sets them apart from other teams is that they don't seem intimidated by their opponents - they're always looking forward to the next challenge, which shows a level of maturity beyond just playing for wins. Fingers crossed they take home that title! 
they were so underrated and nobody thought they had a shot but they went out there and crushed it just like this year's squad did, especially that Armbruster dude he's like the real deal, reminds me of Brett Favre back in the day when he was still playing for the Packers 
and walter jones is a total superstar with those 6 catches and 2 scores 
coach martin hopkins must be doing something right because this team's offense is getting so much better by the week 
i'm rooting for them all the way, let's go st rita! 
. This win is a huge boost for St. Rita's playoff hopes and I've got a feeling they're gonna bring home that state title 
and walter jones is crushing it too, 6 catches and 2 scores? yes pls 
can't wait to see them take on brother rice in the title game! 
! I was literally on the edge of my seat during that game against Batavia, it was like a rollercoaster ride of emotions 
. Steven Armbruster and Walter Jones are absolute studs, they're like the dynamic duo of the team 
. And can we talk about Coach Martin Hopkins for a sec? He's doing an AMAZING job, I mean, St Rita's offense is looking SO strong 
. Now let's see how they stack up against Brother Rice, fingers crossed for a title win 
, let's get ready for some Mustang magic 
!
Coach Hopkins is doing an amazing job too, the offense is really starting to gel! 
Can't wait for the title game against Brother Rice, go Mustangs! 
fire with those 4 touchdowns 
& WR Walter Jones is bringin the heat w/ 6 catches & 2 scores 
St Rita's offense is straight fire 
now let's see if they can keep th momentum goin in th title game 
. But seriously, their QB Steven Armbruster is on fire 
. Coach Martin Hopkins must be doin' somethin' right, 'cause this team's offense is finally gelin' like a big ol' bowl of ramen noodles 
. On to the title game! Bring it on Brother Rice 
. Coach Hopkins is doing something right with this offense! Batavia fought hard but couldn't keep up, and I gotta give them props for their resilience 
they worked hard in practice and it paid off. coach martin hopkins said it all, offense is starting to gel and taking care of business 
steven armbruster is literally a genius on the field with those 4 touchdowns 
, 249 yards and 4 touchdowns? Girl, you're unstoppable! 
And Walter Jones, your chemistry with the team is so inspiring 
Can't wait to see what St. Rita brings to the table against Brother Rice next week! 
That's insane!
. And let's not forget that dominant win over Batavia 
, it was like they ran the game 5-0 
️! The momentum is building and I'm loving every minute of it 