Malcolm Weaver leads Loyola past Lyons

Not even a stiff wind could stop Malcolm Weaver and No. 1-ranked Loyola on Saturday afternoon.

The senior quarterback threw for more than 300 yards in the first half as the Ramblers raced past Lyons for a 33-10 win in Wilmette to advance to the Class 8A semifinals for the third season in a row.

Weaver connected with Charlie Dowdle for a 59-yard touchdown toss on the game’s fourth play to start a scoring spree that lifted Loyola (12-0) to a 33-3 lead by the half. Weaver threw three TD passes to three receivers and ran for another in the first two quarters.

Willie Palivos scored the Ramblers’ other touchdown in the first half on a 41-yard run, giving the team three scores of at least 40 yards.

“We haven’t been able to get over the hump in the last few years, but we will try to do it again next week,” the senior running back said of Loyola’s consecutive season-ending losses to Maine South in the semifinals. “We want to keep this dream season going.”

Often overlooked on an explosive offense, Palivos once again got the job done on the ground, running 12 times for 128 yards.

“It’s fine with me,” said Palivos. “The offense we run is the spread, and it’s been working. We will stick with it.”

Weaver went 25-for-37 for 356 yards. He threw three TDs and one interception. Dowdle caught 10 balls for 185 yards. read more >>

Malcolm Weaver was the quarterback for TEAM ILLINOIS during the 2011 spring 7-on-7 fottball season.

Weaver helps propel Loyola past Montini

WILMETTE, Ill. -- Loyola coach John Holecek doesn’t believe the common assumption that smaller quarterbacks can’t be as effective at the Division I level or beyond.

“I played with Doug Flutie,” said Holecek, who was Flutie’s teammate on the Buffalo Bills. “I know about small quarterbacks.”

Flutie taught Holecek that size only matters if you’re not moving the ball or scoring points. Flutie had no trouble doing just that, despite his 5-foot-10 size, at every level he played, and Holecek has witnessed his own 6-foot quarterback Malcolm Weaver prove he’s just as capable.

Weaver hopes after college coaches see Saturday’s film of No. 10 Loyola’s 41-24 win over No. 4 Montini that more of them will become believers as well. Weaver accounted for all of Loyola’s scores in the home victory, throwing for five touchdowns and rushing for another.

“I enjoy proving people wrong when they say I’m too small to play quarterback,” Weaver said. “It’s my dream to play college football. I’m going to do everything I can to do it.”

Weaver used his arm and his legs to beat Montini’s defense on Saturday. He threw for 257 yards and rushed for 98, including a 28-yard touchdown. He connected with three different receivers for scores. read more >>

Malcolm Weaver (QB) and Marquese Martin-Hayes (WR/DB) from Loyola both participated on the 2011 TEAM ILLINOIS 7on7 all-star travel team last spring.

Memorable shootout for Rolling Meadows

A shutout for nearly the first 11 minutes was hardly a precursor to one of the wildest shootouts ever involving a Mid-Suburban League football team.

Rolling Meadows hitting the half-century mark in points for only the third time in school history didn't seem likely after it was blanked for the first 21-plus minutes.
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And the Mustangs needed every single point — right down to the final ones on a 2-point conversion pass from Jack Milas to Artie Checchin — to complete an incredible 50-49 season-opening victory over York on Friday night.

“Wow,” Meadows' Matt Mishler said as the clock approached midnight after his head coaching debut. “I was just having fun. It was fun watching that game.”

Here's a look back and ahead from a fun night that produced 1,149 yards of total offense, 108 pass attempts, 12 touchdown passes and 25 penalties.

The Milas touch: Once Meadows junior quarterback Jack Milas found it after a slow start he was close to unstoppable. Milas hit only 9 of his first 20 passes for 70 yards but finished 33-for-59 for 493 yards and 6 touchdowns.

“I just wasn't making the reads right (early),” Milas said. “(Then) it was like 7-on-7.”  READ MORE >>

Jack Milas and the Rolling Meadows team participated in the 2011 All-American 7on7 Passing League high school division.  Artie Checchin also played for TEAM ILLINOIS 7on7 during the 2011 spring season.

Hersey’s solid play leads to big win

Don’t call it an upset. 

Hersey upended No. 23 Glenbrook North 21-14 in Friday night’s season opener in Northbrook.

Second year Huskie head coach Dragan Teonic was excited by the result, but he wasn’t wearing his underdog cape heading into the matchup.

“I don’t consider anything an upset,” said Teonic. “They’re a good football team and I think we’re a good football team. I thought our kids played with a lot of intensity tonight and I think for the first time in my two years here, we came out and didn’t test any waters.”

Hersey (1-0) was dominant early as it pulled ahead 6-0 after a 50-yard touchdown run by senior running back Stephen Kuc.

The Huskies added another score with the two-point conversion after senior quarterback Brad Zaucha found senior running back Andrew Collins on the 10-yard pass.

Brad Zaucha and the Hersey team participated in the 2011 All-American 7on7 Passing League high school division.

Football | Weaver, Loyola cruise past Evanston

By Bob Hurst
Special to the Tribune
10:34 p.m. CDT, August 26, 2011

Loyola's experienced offense scored early and often in the first half of the season opener at Evanston on Friday night.

The No. 4 Ramblers scored on five of their first six possessions and breezed to a 40-0 win over the Wildkits. Quarterback Malcolm Weaver threw three touchdown passes in the opening half, two going to Charlie Dowdle from 24 and 33 yards out.

The Ramblers (1-0) outgained Evanston 296 yards to 62 in the opening two quarters.

Weaver was effective through the air, going 11-for-15 for 128 yards before giving way to backup Peter Pujals in the second half. Weaver lofted a 24-yard pass to Dowdle in the right corner for a touchdown and 13-0 lead with 5:03 left in the first quarter. He found Dowdle for a 33-yarder on a post pattern with 7:58 left in the second for a 20-0 advantage.

"A lot of jump balls, he's going to go get it," Weaver said of Dowdle. "I expected us to come out here and have a fast-paced offense. We kept the ball moving and executed well."

Player of the game: Malcolm Weaver, Loyola, 11-for-15, 128 yards, 3 TDs.  read more >>

Malcolm Weaver was the QB for the TEAM ILLINOIS 7on7 spring all-star travel team.

The Ramblers (1-0) outgained Evanston 296 yards to 62 in the opening two quarters.