Sports
Lemont's Joe Bailey to Play Football at Saint Xavier University
Check out the latest Lemont High School athlete to commit to college sports.
Lemont High School senior Joe Bailey has committed to play college football at Saint Xavier University beginning in Fall 2014.
Bailey (6’1”, 165) earned two varsity letters playing in head coach Eric Michaelsen’s program. Over his two seasons, Lemont posted a 14-8 record, won one South Suburban Conference-Blue Division title, and advanced as far as the IHSA Class 6A State Semifinals. Though Bailey served as a reserve quarterback, his most significant impact came as the team’s punter. He averaged 34.6 yards on 70 career punts, and placed nearly 30 percent of his punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard-line.
In 2013, Bailey averaged a career-best 36.7 yards per punt. Of his 34 punts, 10 were placed inside the opponent’s 20-yard- line. His career-long came in the season’s fourth game, when he launched a 76-yarder at home against Oak Forest.
Bailey also started the season opener against Plainfield South under center for the Indians. On the season, he threw for 73 yards in limited duty, and also scored his first career touchdown on a one-yard keeper in a 41-6 win over Hillcrest. Lemont finished 3-6 in 2013.
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Bailey was an important part of Lemont’s special teams play in 2012, as it ended just short of advancing the IHSA Class 6A State Championship game. He averaged 32.7 yards on 36 punts and put nine kicks inside the opponent’s 20-yard- line, with a season-best effort of 55 yards. As a quarterback, he also rushed for 26 yards in a reserve role. Lemont went 11-2 in 2012 and shared the SSC Blue title with a 5-1 league record. The Indians advanced to the IHSA Class 6A State Semifinals for the second time in as many years.
Bailey was a postseason call-up in 2011 when the Indians went 12-1 and were an IHSA Class 6A State Semifinalist.
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A high honor roll student, Bailey will become the latest Lemont student-athlete to play for head coach Mike Feminis at Saint Xavier University, an NAIA institution located in Chicago and a member of the Mid-States Football Association (MSFA). Feminis has built a powerhouse at Saint Xavier, guiding the Cougars to a 134-47 record and eight NAIA Playoff appearances in 15 seasons. Feminis led the Cougars to the NAIA National Championship in 2011. Last season, the Cougars were 7-4 and third in the MSFA Midwest Division. Former Lemont standouts Danny Lombardo ‘11 and Jake Lemming ‘13 were part of Saint Xavier’s roster last fall.
For more information, contact Director of School and Community Relations Tony Hamilton (tonyh@lemont.k12.il.us) at (630) 243-3280.
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