2022 Breakdown: St Rita
Note: I used the online roster for St Rita from Max Preps
School: St. Rita
Nickname: Mustangs
Colors: Red/Blue
Head coach: Todd Kuska
St. Rita is currently #18 ranked team in the 2022 EDGYTIM.com Week 2 Chicagoland Top 30 poll
The Offense: The St. Rita offense is generally a pistol formation as the Mustangs look to balance out it's traditional power run game along with getting the play action passing game on track. The Mustangs offense struggled all night in this 35-3 loss to Mount Carmel as the offense just wasn't able to generate much on the ground, while the passing game was basically was forced into several unwanted downs and distances because of the lack of a power running game.
The St. Rita offense was led by junior QB Jett Hilding (6-foot-2, 180 pounds). I've been able to watch Hilding in person at various camps and showcase events and he's a very capable passer who has just very good overall tools and potential. Unfortunately, Hilding was under constant pressure in this game and without any sort of help from the running game, Hilding's overall game and production was very limited.
The remaining backs and receivers for St. Rita is solid in 2022. Junior RB Ethan Middleton (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) is an impressive overall athlete who has a nice combination of speed, quickness and power and who also has real upside over the next two season for St Rita.. The remaining skills are noteworthy and keep an eye on junior RB/FB DJ Stewart (6-foot-0, 225 pounds), senior WR Kenneth Davis (5-foot-7, 166 pounds) along with senior WR Calvin Lee (5-foot-9, 170 pounds), senior TE Owen Manning (6-foot-1, 1195 pounds) plus sophomore FB/LB James Kingsbury (5-foot-11, 205 pounds). .
The St. Rita offensive line? The Mustangs offensive line remains has always been a strength and a calling card for this traditional CCL power, yet the line play in this 35-3 loss to rival Mount Carmel was just not up to it's usual high level of performance. Keep an eye on senior OL Collin Gerger (6-foot-4, 270 pounds) along with senior OL/DL Pat Farrell (6-foot-5, 220 pounds), seniorCharlie Armbruster (6-foot-0, 250 pounds) along with senior Hardy Johnson (6-foot-3, 250 pounds) and junior Keith Sumpter (6-foot-1, 237 pounds). Also of note.....I saw several huge linemen on the Mustangs sidelines in street clothes who did not play including standout senior OL Nick Strelczyk.
St. Rita once again has one of the top kicker/punters in the nation this season in senior K Conor Talty (6-foot-1, 195 pounds) who is verbally committed to Alabama. Talty hands down was the Mustangs bigger standout and a huge weapon with his leg strength, accuracy and his punting ability. Talty will no question flip the field in St Rita's favor all season long.
The Defense: The St. Rita defense again did not have a great night in this 35-3 loss to rival Mount Carmel. The Mustangs defense no question got very little help from an offense that just wasn't able to put together very many drives, and this defensive unit spent way too much time on the field in this loss.
The Mustangs defensive line features senior Pat Carmody (6-foot-2, 225 pounds), junior Ramone Saffold (6-foot-0, 220 pounds) along with #59? plus two way starter senior Pat Farrell (6-foot-5, 235 pounds) and senior Eddie Vrdolyak (6-foot-2, 235 pounds). The linebackers feature senior Matt Kingsbury (6-foot-4, 235 pounds), sophomore LB James Kingsbury (5-foot-11, 205 pounds) and senior LB Joseph Kingsbury (6-foot-2, 220 pounds) while the St Rita secondary features senior Johnny Schmitt (6-foot-1, 190 pounds), senior DB Marshawn Conner Jr. (5-foot-10, 180 pounds), sophomore DB Keyandre White (6-foot-0, 170 pounds) plus junior Jack Clark (6-foot-2, 160 pounds) and senior Justin Stawczyk (5-foot-10, 170 pounds).
The Good: Overall Talent Level. Overall numbers. Conor Talty.
The Not So Good: Who is the main go-to guy/play maker?
The Future? Make sure to check the soon to be released Underclassmen Report feature from which will include some of the top St. Rita underclassmen names to watch.
EDGY's Take on the 2022 St. Rita Mustangs
The 100th overall meeting between Mount Carmel was suppose to be a huge opening night showdown for both St. Rita and Mount Carmel. This longtime rivalry game is easily one of the oldest and best rivalry games in the state. What we ended up with after this game? We have a St. Rita team that will need to get back to the drawing board this week and a Mount Carmel team that looks to be as advertised as one of the top programs for the 2022 season.
The St. Rita offense just never seemed to get into any sort of rhythm from the first series of this 35-3 loss. In fact, the Mustangs posted just one first down in the opening half with zero passing yards. The Mustangs planned to run the football early and often, while the Mount Carmel defense early on shut the run and played the run the remainder of the game. When the St. Rita run game just couldn't move the chains, the passing game was asked to pick up the slack way too late in this game to really have any sort of impact/effectiveness.
The St. Rita defense? The defense also had it's issues here but being out on the field for long periods of time in this 35-3 loss did the Mustangs defense no favors. St. Rita has talent and potential at literally every spot on defense and much like the offense, the defense will see better days. I liked the linebacker play and again the overall talent level here is strong.
While this is a hard loss for the Mustang fans to swallow anytime they lose to rival Mount Carmel, better days will be ahead for St Rita. The Mustangs remaining schedule is brutal and this team will no question have it's hands full over the next two weeks with both Brother Rice then Loyola. However, this isn't head coach Todd Kuska's first rodeo (in fact this will be his last season as the Mustangs head coach) and look for this team to reload this week and to show much better from here on out. So what happened? In my opinion this game outcome was a combination of a very strong Mount Carmel team hitting in all facets early and a St Rita team that is still trying to find it's game.
I still feel this is a St Rita team that will find a way to get better and be a state playoff team along with challenging for the CCL/ESCC Green conference title this season.