By Bobby Narang
Five games into the season, Nazareth Academy football is right on track toward another prolonged playoff journey.
The Roadrunners recorded an impressive 48-21 victory at Joliet Catholic September 26 to improve to 4-1 on the season and 1-0 in the CCL/ESCC Green. Despite a new starting quarterback and only three returning starters on the offensive line, the Roadrunners have scored at least 33 points in three of their first five games.
The Roadrunners’ lone loss came at the hands of highly-ranked Mount Carmel, 42-23, in Week 3.
“I’m happy where we are at,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said. “We break down the season into thirds. This weekend will close out the middle third as we head into the final third where we gauge our improvement from the first third to where we are now in the middle third. We keep improving and been climbing, so that’s a good sign.”
Jake Cestone hauled in four touchdown catches to spark the offense against the Hilltoppers, helping the Roadrunners grab a 41-7 lead at halftime.
Nazareth quarterback Jackson Failla is adapting to his new school pretty smoothly, completing 16 of 20 passes for 308 yards against Joliet Catholic.
“His father relocated because of his job,” Racki said of Failla said. “He had connections in the area, and they were looking at schools. They checked out Nazareth. He has a great family and is a great kid. I’m proud of our culture. Within a week, he loved the guys and they welcomed and embraced him. He fit in right away.”
More importantly, Racki said the 6-foot-3, 190-pound Failla has fit in right away on the football field too.
“He’s got good size and is athletic and is actually a very good volleyball player,” Racki said. “He came from a school with a very high level volleyball team. He could be a Division I volleyball player I was told. He has incredible speed for his size, and a very good vertical. He’s got quite a cannon and can throw the ball a country mile. He’s getting acclimated to our offense. We knew it would take some time for him. He got here in June. He got adapted quickly in the summer, but our playbook is pretty extensive. Each week he’s getting more and more comfortable with our offense and the all the reads he has to make and the tough competition week in and week out he has to face.”