Thornton Fractional South will face the T.F. North Meteors in a match up on Friday, September 13.
T.F. North Meteors
Schedule/Results
Aug 30 T.F. North 40 Chicago Prosser 0
Sept. 6 T.F. North 34 Chicago Hansberry 0
Sept 13 at T.F. South
Sept. 20 vs. Evergreen Park
Sept. 27 at Lemont
Oct. 4 vs. Oak Forest
Oct. 11 vs. Hillcrest
Oct. 18 at Tinley Park
Oct. 25 vs. Bremen
Enrollment: 1,273
Communities Served: Calumet City, Burnham
Head Coach: Anthony Pignatiello (2nd year, 9-3 All-Time Record)
Assistant Coaches: Mike Anaclerio, Matt Cervantes, Tyler Fortier, Antoine Jamison, Will Johnson, Travis Newsome, Artie Rogers, Fred Schuldes
Conference: South Suburban Blue
2023 Record: 7-3
Players to watch:
Sr. RB Joseph Merritt (5’6, 160)
Sr. OL Carlos Roa (6’3, 235)
Sr. DB Trevon Conner (5’11, 155)
Sr. DB Keashawn Davis (5’9, 155)
Jr. DB DeShawn Jones (5’7, 145)
Sr. QB Jolly Jamirh (6’0, 210)
Soph. OL Chuck King (6’5, 310)
Game Notes:
The Meteors return five starters and graduated a strong senior class from their 2023 playoff qualifier.
Merritt, Jolly, Conner and Roa are team captains.
Second-year T.F. North Head Coach Anthony Pignatiello was a 5’8 160 pound all-area quarterback and defensive back for the Meteors.He had 39 tackles his senior year and led T.F. North to an 8-2 record in 2006.
In 2023, Pignatiello led the Meteors to their first postseason since 2011, under coach Artie Rogers, now an assistant. T.F. North also made the playoffs in 2010 under Rogers and four times under coach Tim Zasada (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006).
The Meteors’ 17-14 defeat of the Red Wolves in last year’s District 215 rivalry game was their first win since 2019. The teams have played 67 times– with T.F. South holding a 45-22 edge.
Three former NFL stand-outs are T.F. North graduates.
John Jurkovic played nine years of defensive line in the NFL (1990-1999) after playing at Eastern Illinois.
John’s brother, Mirko Jurkovic, was a star offensive guard on Notre Dame’s 1988 National Championship team who played for the Chicago Bears.
And legendary T.F. North quarterback Mike Tomczak played 14 years in the NFL, from 1985-1999, for the Bears, Green Bay Packers, Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers. He starred at Ohio State after playing for his dad, Ron Tomczak, and leading the Meteors to two playoff appearances (1980 & 1981).
