Nov. 28--When Rich Zinanni got married in 1992, he was five years removed from his most recent state title as Bishop McNamara's head coach.
And his wife Jane didn't let him forget it over the years.
"She was like, 'When are we going to get one of these?'" Zinanni said Friday night.
The answer was this year, with a 50-7 romp past Tolono Unity in the Class 3A state championship at Huskie Stadium.
It was the fifth state title for Zinanni, the first since the Irish had a three-peat from 1985-87. And it came in just his second trip back to state since then.
"It's hard in the Catholic League, which absolutely prepares us for this," Zinanni said. "We were crossing over to the Blue division twice (a season). The Blue are the big boys."
That's why the veteran coach had an inkling this could be a special season when the Irish beat defending 7A state champ Providence 24-14 in Week 7.
"That was when I thought, when we get to the playoffs we're going to be pretty hard to beat," Zinanni said.
That was the case: the Irish's closest postseason win was 34-14 over Sterling Newman in the second round.
But just because McNamara was cruising behind the rushing of Jonathan Ward and a lockdown defense, it doesn't mean Zinanni was breathing easy.
"I had a hard time sleeping and everything else," he said.
It wasn't any easier on his wife.
"We went home (after Thanksgiving dinner) and she said, 'I wish this thing was over.'"
Now it is, but Zinanni's 41-year coaching career may not be.
Retired from teaching, he and his wife will take a break, traveling and enjoying the holidays. Then they'll talk about whether he'll come back for another season.
After the game, Zinanni ran down a list of McNamara's key players. "The good news is half the guys I'm talking about are juniors. I think we're going to be decent next year. We're losing a couple of special football players, but the cupboard is not bare for Bishop McNamara."
mclark@tribpub.com
