Chicago Catholic League Football Week 1 Recap: Upsets, Standouts & Storylines

Week 1 of the 2026 Chicago Catholic League football season delivered major upsets, breakout performances and plenty of early-season questions.Joe and Dan recap all 20 games involving CCL teams, including East St. Louis ending Mount Carmel’s winning streak, Lincoln-Way East edging Brother Rice by one point, IC Catholic Prep knocking off Nazareth Academy and Providence Catholic defeating St. Rita.We also discuss impressive opening performances from Marist, Loyola Academy, Montini, Fenwick, Benet Academy, Notre Dame College Prep and other teams across all six CCL divisions.Plus, we announce our first Dawg of the Week of the season: DePaul Prep defensive back George Farrell, who recorded three interceptions against Richards. The award continues in memory of Zuko—Forever the OG Dawg.Finally, we look ahead to the complete Week 2 schedule and several important matchups, including Mount Carmel vs. St. Joseph Regional, Loyola vs. Indianapolis Cathedral, Nazareth vs. York, St. Rita vs. Glenbard West and Notre Dame vs. Morgan Park.Which team impressed you most in Week 1? Which result surprised you the most? Let us know in the comments.Follow THE Varsity Voices for Chicago Catholic League football recaps, predictions, player stories and high school football analysis throughout the 2026 season.#ChicagoCatholicLeague #CCLFootball #IllinoisHighSchoolFootball #HighSchoolFootball #VarsityVoices #DawgOfTheWeek