Pork & Pigskins Championship Returns To Crown Illinois’ Top Pork Chop Sandwich

On August 26, the 2022 high school football season in Illinois will be in full swing as the Friday Night Lights turn on throughout the Land of Lincoln. That means that concession stand grills will be also lighting up and the smell of pork chop sandwiches will soon be filling the air.

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) and the Illinois Pork Producers Association (IPPA) are proud to announce the return of the Pork & Pigskins Championship, as the IHSA and IPPA team-up to find the state’s best concession stand pork chop sandwich for the second year in a row.

“Tradition, community, and amazing food are the ingredients that make-up the Pork & Pigskins Championship,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “The folks behind these grills volunteer their time and talent to support our high school students and their schools. We appreciate the Illinois Pork Producers Association helping bring their stories to light and providing recognition to these worthy individuals who serve their communities and also cook a mean pork chop sandwich.”

A year ago, Normal Community High School’s A-Train concession group had both the heart and the flavor to capture the inaugural state title. The A-Train honors Adam Denzer, a pork producer who worked for the Normal school district after high school but passed away tragically in a farming accident in 2008. The A-Train trailer the group cooks with at NCHS football games was purchased by Denzer’s widow Marie.

“We are pleased to be able to partner with the IHSA on this competition again and recognize the volunteers in our communities who work the concession stands and help us to encourage more people to consume these great pork products across the state while supporting our producers,” said Illinois Pork Producers Board President Thomas Titus. 

The 2022 competition will follow a similar recipe as a year ago, as the contest will feature a mix of online fan voting and special guest judges. The Savory 16 will be determined via online voting, at which point guest judges will flock to games around the state to sample the fare. The state champion will be announced on October 22 and then recognized at the 2022 IHSA Football State Championships on November 26 at Memorial Stadium in Champaign-Urbana. The state champ will receive a prize package from the IPPA that includes a $500 reimbursement on their pork purchase for next season, a state championship banner, and the coveted Golden Spatula.

The 2022 edition of Pork & Pigskins also features an exciting new initiative for pork chop sandwich connoisseurs, as the IHSA is seeking guest judges. If you have a hunger for

IHSA football (and pork chop sandwiches) and frequent area high school contests, please let us know why you'd be a great guest judge here.

Any IHSA schools interested in entering their BBQ boss in the Pork & Pigskins Championship can do so at IHSA.org beginning on August 15.

Fans are once again encouraged to post photos and video of their top pork chop sandwich contenders on social media with the hashtag #PorkandPigskins

A timeline on the 2022 Pork & Pigskins Championship is provided below:

August 4: Guest Judge Entry Opens

August 15: School Entry Opens

September 13: School Entry and Guest Judge Entry Closes

September 14 & 15: Online Voting to determine the Savory 16

September 16 – October 21: Savory 16 judged in-person by guest judges

October 22: State Champion Announced on IHSA Playoff Pairing Preview Show

November 26: 2022 Champion receives prizes at 2022 IHSA Football State Championships