Kennedy’s McCarter brothers sparkle in crucial win against Ag. Science

Kennedy coach Roberto Albano struggled to hold back tears after his team beat Ag. Science 17-8 at Gately Stadium on Thursday.

The Crusaders’ players skipped the overwhelmed emotions and went with straight joy.

“This is amazing,” Kennedy sophomore Kavarion McCarter said. “We are going to be remembered in history as one of the best…no we are going to be the best Kennedy football team.”

The victory gives Kennedy the inside track on the White Southwest conference championship, which means a spot in the state playoffs. The Crusaders have qualified for the state playoffs just once in school history, back in 2021.

Albano took over last season and went 5-4.

“[This win] is massive,” Albano said. “We’re here. We’ve landed on the map. It’s easy when you have a team like this. I’ve never heard no from these kids.”

The McCarter brothers were the stars for Kennedy (5-1, 43-0). Kavarion had two key interceptions, one in the first quarter and one in the fourth to seal the victory.

“I was ready for [the second interception],” McCarter said. “I was mad because I had messed up a bit on the last play. So I soon as the threw it I ran. I knew I had to get that pick.”

Kamarion McCarter, a senior, accounted for both of Kennedy’s touchdowns. He scored on an eigh-yard run in the first quarter to put the Crusaders ahead 10-0 and then on a 22-yard run in the third quarter to extend the lead to 17-0.

“I had to put my team on my back, as always,” Kamarion McCarter said. “It’s family out here. When I see my brother doing great it motivates me to do great.”

Ag. Science (4-2, 2-1) pulled within nine points on a 24-yard TD run from Maurice Bush with 8:75 left in the game. But McCarter and Armando Pena picked off passes on the Cyclone’s final two possessions.

“[The McCarter brothers] are huge,” Albano said. “They’ve worked together. They’ve worked hard all year and done everything we’ve asked of them. Played through little nicks and injuries. They manned up for this game.”

The Crusaders’ starting quarterback is out with an injury, so their offense mainly consists of running with McCarter and Jonathan Castro out of the Wildcat formation.

McCarter had 16 carries for 62 yards and 2 TDs. Castro had 20 carries for 107 yards. Sophomore quarterback Julian Cuevas checked in for a couple of plays when Kennedy wanted a passing option. He completed his only throw, a crucial 25-yard pass to Joseph Dahl.

“[Cuevas] stepped up,” Albano said. “That’s what it is about. Everybody believes.”

Ag. Science’s offense struggled in the first half but picked up late behind sophomore Trevon Williams and Bush, a junior.

Williams had 10 carries for 84 yards and Bush had nine carries for 55 yards and a TD.

“We practiced against their front all week,” Cyclones coach Pat Ade said. “We knew it was coming. We just got outmanned at the beginning. We had an extra blocker towards the third quarter and started moving the ball. Too little too late.”

The road to qualification to the state playoffs out of the Public League White is murky. There isn’t any info on the Illinois High School Association website outlining the process. The White North and White South teams will qualify through the same as any other conference in the state. In the White Northwest, White South Central and White Southwest the conference championship winner qualifies for state.

There may also be a spot for one of the second-place teams in those three conferences.

“A conference championship is basically out the window now with our guaranteed state playoff berth,” Ade said. “We have our hands full. But I think if we get in the second place game and win we can also qualify.”