The second best game...

Gately Stadium.

...of the week, Loyola (4-1) at Mount Carmel (5-0), would normally be my Game of the Week (or even my Game of the Year) if not for Bolingbrook at Lincoln-Way East. But it's awfully close.

A quick look at the 2012 schedule reveals that each team has beaten one high-quality opponent decisively: in Loyola's case it was Providence, in Mount Carmel's it was Brother Rice. And each school beat one pretty good team: the Ramblers defeated Simeon, while the Caravan beat St. Patrick.

LOYOLA 20, Simeon 0
Dallas Jesuit 30, Loyola 29 (Dublin, Ireland)
Loyola 41, LAKE FOREST ACADEMY 7
LOYOLA 41, Providence 21
Loyola 42, GORDON TECH 0

MOUNT CARMEL 32, St. Patrick 12
Mount Carmel 48, MORGAN PARK 15
Mount Carmel 48, DE LA SALLE 0
MOUNT CARMEL 54, St. Joseph 0
Mount Carmel 56, BROTHER RICE 7

In the last few years, the results have been mixed:

2011: LOYOLA 12, Mount Carmel 7
2010: Mount Carmel 31, LOYOLA 24
2009: Loyola 28, MOUNT CARMEL 15
2008: MOUNT CARMEL 35, Loyola 14
2007: Mount Carmel 31, LOYOLA 24
2006: MOUNT CARMEL 32, Loyola 14
2005: Mount Carmel 21, LOYOLA 3
2004: Mount Carmel 20, LOYOLA 0

This year, I'll pick the Ramblers to win, 21-17. I think the Wilmette squad is underrated, while the South Siders are a little overrated.

P.S. I'll be recording the game on MeTV while I'm at the Lincoln-Way East - Bolingbrook game. So don't anybody ruin it for me!