During a season in which the Fenwick High School football team has already won two of three games against defending state champions Phillips, Montini and Loyola Academy, perhaps it’s only fitting the Friars faced one more program with pedigree before the regular season wrapped up.
Fenwick rallied for 35-27 win Friday against visiting Providence Catholic at Triton College in River Grove. The Celtics have won 10 state titles.
While Providence has a pedestrian 3-4 record this season, make no mistake, the Friars earned an impressive win. Providence hails from the highly regarded Chicago Catholic League Blue Division, which includes perennial powers Loyola Academy, Mount Carmel, St. Rita and Brother Rice.
The Celtics led 28-20 at halftime as senior quarterback Jared Drake threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter.
After the intermission, the Friars responded quickly by scoring touchdowns on their first two drives of the third quarter. Senior running back Conner Lillig scored on an 8-yard run, followed by senior quarterback Jacob Keller’s 24-yard run into the end zone to put Fenwick ahead for good at 35-28.
The Friars (6-1, 2-0 Chicago Catholic Green) shut out Providence in the second half as the Fenwick finished with five sacks, three pass deflections and an interception for the game.
Senior linebacker Brett Moorman (9 tackles, sack), senior defensive end Ellis Taylor (2 sacks), Ryan Chapman (5.5 tackles) and Joseph Rafferty (interception) led Fenwick defensively.