By Bobby Narang –
Nazareth Academy head football coach Tim Racki is accustomed to confronting challenges.
After winning four straight State high school championships at Driscoll High School in Addison, 2001-2004, Racki accepted the challenge of leading the Roadrunners’ program
Prior to his arrival, the Roadrunners had not won more than eight games in a season, including just five victories in the last three years.
By his 10th year in 2014, the Roadrunners won the first of three State championships under Racki. Led by a big senior group, Nazareth defeated both Batavia in a semifinal game and St. Charles North in the Class 7A State championship this season.
Due to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) success factor and multiplier, the Roadrunners have won State championships in three classes. When the IHSA announced its member schools voted in favor of Proposal 23 December 18, Racki hardly seemed worried.
“I’ll approach it like the multiplier and success factor when they first came out,” Racki said. “It will be interesting who we will play, maybe Benet (Academy) and the Downers Grove schools.”
Under Proposal 23, the IHSA will eliminate conferences for football only and place schools into geographic districts, which will begin in the 2021 season. The IHSA will set up round-robin scheduling for the regular season. Enrollment breakdowns for the eight playoff classes will be determined prior to the season, unlike the current system at the end of the regular season.
“If this is how it’s going to be, we have to play the games,” Racki said.
Maine South football coach Dave Inserra said the elimination of conference and rivalries is tough. The Hawks won 77 consecutive Central Suburban South Conference games, 2001 to 2016.
“We’re not real happy with it and and voted against it,” Inserra said. “The tradition of conferences is important. Can you imagine college football without the Big Ten and SEC (Southeastern Conference, which includes Alabama)? So now, somebody randomly appoints games?
“It will be interesting how they draw geographic locations. We’re in a situation where they can put us in one of three areas. It’s hard to predict, but it might have some ramifications in other sports. So many conferences are driven by the football programs.”
• In other football news, the Hinsdale High School District 86 Board voted December 17 to eliminate football, wrestling, swimming, water polo, cheerleading, and the marching band at Hinsdale South and Hinsdale Central beginning next season because of a failed referendum in November to increase the fiinancial budget. Hinsdale South junior quarterback Marquese Garrett said he expects the decision to be overturned on the April 2 ballot referendum.
“I didn’t even think it was possible,” Garrett said. “I was at work when the news popped up on my phone that there’s a possibility we won’t have the sport that we all love one day. Hearing about that was really tough.
“But I feel, at the end of the day, we will still have football and get together again as a team.”