Normally, if the No. 1 overall seed squeaks by the No. 32 overall seed, the last in the bracket, in the first round of the Illinois High School Association Class 8A state football playoffs, there might be some cause for alarm.

Well, not in this case.

In a historic first-round matchup between longtime Chicago Catholic League rivals and state powerhouse programs that both entered the playoffs trying for a fourth straight IHSA state title, No. 1 seed and top-ranked Chicago Mount Carmel hosted No. 32 seed Loyola Academy of Wilmette on Saturday afternoon at Barda-Dowling Stadium at Carey Field on the South Side.

Loyola, playing as a rare underdog, led 14-0 late in the first half and still held a three-point lead about midway through the fourth quarter. That's when Mount Carmel quarterback Em

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