Sports

St Alphonsus/St. Patrick Lemont Celtics Win League Championship

Team continues success on and off the field.

The St. Alphonsus / St. Patrick Lemont Celtics Junior Varsity (JV) Football Team won the Catholic Grade School Conference of Chicago championship with a 15–0 victory over St. Raphael from Naperville on Wednesday, Nov. 20.   

The Celtics won the championship on Wednesday in Lemont after the game at St. Rita High School in Chicago was suspended due to the severe weather that rolled through the area as the 2nd quarter was about to begin on Sunday November  17.  The Celtics took a 9–0 lead early in the 1st quarter after a long TD run by Bradley Benson and a successful extra point kicked by Anthony Sambucci.  The score remained 9–0 at halftime and through most of the 3rd quarter when the Celtics jumped to a 15–0 lead on a TD run by Mark Hughes.  The Celtics defense and special teams held the St. Raphael Redwings offense in check throughout the game, forcing seven turnovers. 

The Celtic JV advanced to the championship game after going 8–0 during the regular season and with victories over St. Mary of the Woods and St. Mary’s of Riverside in the first two rounds of the playoffs. This is the second championship won by the Celtics JV squad over the last three seasons, also winning the league title in 2011.  The Celtics Varsity also had a successful season, advancing to the league’s semi-finals, losing to eventual league champion All Saints Academy (of Naperville), after going 7–1 during the regular season.  

Find out what's happening in Lemontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“This was a great end to another successful season both on and off the field for the Celtics’ program, where we teach the players football in a safe and responsible manner,” said Jeff McKendry, a member of the Celtics Board of Directors. 

The Celtics plays in the Catholic Grade School Conference of Chicagoland and has three levels with more than seventy five players, a Cheer/Pom squad and over one-hundred families involved.  The Celtics JV includes 5th and 6th graders and the Varsity is composed of 7th and 8th graders from Lemont and the surrounding areas.  The Celtics also have a 4th grade developmental team.  The Celtics Program has just finished their seventh season and has qualified for the playoffs seven of the last eight years, including two JV league championships. 

Find out what's happening in Lemontwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The Celtics also focus on community outreach service beyond football.  This year the team hosted its fourth annual food drive, where they collected donations for the Lemont Food Pantries to help families in need. 

The Celtics Football Program was developed with the primary goal of giving area youth an opportunity to participate in football in an environment that fosters and develops the principles of team play, self-discipline, good sportsmanship, aimed at enriching scholarship opportunities and Christian values.  The team annually sends well prepared players off to their high school football programs landing key positions to play for some of the best teams in the area including, Lemont H.S., Providence, Benet Academy, Brother Rice and Marist High School. 

More information on the Celtics Football Program go to: www.lemontcelticfootball.org. 

—Story submitted


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here