Third-year Morgan Park head coach Chris James applauded his team’s effort. Although the loss kicked them out of the IHSA playoffs, James said the Mustangs’ season would continue in a Chicago prep football tournament.
“With us being a Chicago Public School, if you lose in the first two rounds in the playoffs, you come back and play in the Chicago Public Schools playoffs, which works the same for the Catholic League,” James said. “The Chicago Public School champion plays the Catholic League champion. Once you advance to the third round [of the IHSA playoffs] you’re not eligible to come back and play in that.”
James also the loss is a learning experience for his team, which features several underclassmen contributors.
“I wish it could’ve happened a little bit different, but it’s a learning experience,” James said in an interview with The Triibe as the Mustangs left the field. He’s a former Morgan Park football star who played wide receiver at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“As a competitor, you don’t take away any moral victories. You want to win your last game. We are getting better, but this is part of the process,” he added.
Despite the loss, the Mustangs appear to be heading in the right direction. Under James’ stewardship, the Mustangs entered the game ranked second in MaxPreps’ Chicago Public School rankings, with a 7-3 record.
Morgan Park qualified for the IHSA Class 6A playoffs by winning the Chicago Public Red Bird conference with conference victories over Perspectives Leadership/IIT/Joslin/Tech High School, Curie Metro High School, Simeon Career Academy High School, and Hubbard High School. Their only conference loss was to Kenwood High School (8-1) on the road on Oct. 2.
Morgan Park faced tough opponents all season as their opponents’ overall win/loss record was 49-40. The Mustangs had victories over Amundsen High School (8-2) and Simeon Career Academy High School (5-6), both of which were IHSA playoff qualifiers and ranked in MaxPreps’ Chicago Public School rankings’ top 10 at the end of the season.
All three of the teams to defeat Morgan Park in the regular season made the playoffs. Fenwick High School (Oak Park) (9-2) will play Nazareth Academy (7-4) in the IHSA Class 5A quarterfinals on Nov. 13.