Nazareth wins a shootout to capture Class 5A title

CHAMPAIGN — Nearly 90 points were scored in the Class 5A state championship game Saturday at Memorial Stadium, but the deciding moment was defensive.

Nazareth senior Zach Hayes ended Peoria’s final drive and sealed a 45-44 win and the state title with an interception in the final minute.

“I knew they couldn’t keep running the ball with the clock running down,” Hayes said. “I saw it before his receiver did. I made a break on the ball and secured it.

“The feelings that rushed through my head . . . I can’t believe it. I’m in shock still; this is all I ever wanted. And to be the one to get an interception to secure it, it’s just surreal.”

Sophomore quarterback Logan Malachuk and senior running back Justin Taylor, a Wisconsin recruit, were instrumental in helping the Roadrunners keep pace with the Lions’ high-scoring offense.

Malachuk was 15-for-27 passing for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He also ran for a pair of scores. Taylor had 17 carries for 113 yards and one touchdown.

“If we want to, we can score on every drive,” Malachuk said. “We displayed a lot of resiliency, and we just battled and our defense stepped up when we needed it to. They got that two-point-conversion stop and the interception.”

Sophomores Gabe Kaminski and James Penley each had 10 tackles for the Roadrunners (10-4). Penley also had four catches for 102 yards, and Hayes caught four passes for 62 yards.

There were six lead changes in the game.

Senior running back Malachi Washington had 48 carries for 289 yards and six touchdowns for Peoria (12-2). The six scores tied the Class 5A and overall record for rushing touchdowns in a title game. The 48 carries also were the most in a title game.

Kirsten Stickney/For the Sun-Times

“He was in my dreams,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said. “You talk about an old-school running back with power, speed, tenacity that gets stronger as the game goes on. That young man is a complete running back. Hands down the best running back we have seen all year and maybe for me in a few years. He’s very special.”

Nazareth is the first team to win a state title after starting the season 2-4. And the Roadrunners did it with an exceptionally young team. Just eight seniors started, and 10 starters were freshmen or sophomores.

It’s the fourth state championship for Nazareth, which won Class 6A in 2014, 5A in 2015 and 7A in 2018. Racki also won four state titles at Driscoll.