The Fenwick High School football team visited DePaul Prep on Oct. 13, hoping to snap its two-game skid and clinch state playoff eligibility in the process.
Instead, the Friars lost their third consecutive game, this time in gut-wrenching fashion, to the Rams, 44-43 in double overtime. DePaul Prep quarterback Fernando Rodriguez’s two-point conversion pass to Braden Peevy in the second overtime was the game-winner.
“We have to use this as fuel going forward for next week because we have another chance to right the ship,” said Fenwick quarterback Marek Hill.
Fenwick (4-4) jumped ahead 12-0 after the opening quarter thanks to field goals of 25 and 38 yards by Noah Sur and an 8-yard touchdown by Luke D’Alise.
The Friars led 19-7 with 1:49 left in the half following a 6-yard touchdown by Ninos Ameer. But momentum swung DePaul’s way on the final play when Rodriguez hit Peevy for a 17-yard touchdown, making it 19-14 at halftime.
Fenwick started the second half on its 3 yard line after fumbling the kickoff out of bounds. Then Sur, kicking from his end zone, had his punt blocked by Jett Reese. The ball went out of the end zone for a safety.
On the ensuing drive, Rodriguez connected with Michael Bloom for a 55-yard score, giving DePaul (4-4) the lead. However, Fenwick quickly responded with an Ameer 1-yard touchdown to regain the lead 26-23 at the 8:48 mark of the third quarter.
Ben Jarnecke recovered a DePaul fumble on the ensuing kickoff, gifting the Friars excellent field position on the Rams’ 36. However, Hill was stopped short on 4th and 1 from the 6, resulting in a turnover on downs.
Fenwick missed another scoring chance early in the fourth when Sur’s 46-yard field goal fell short. But the defense held and after a shanked punt, Sur connected from 36 yards out to give the Friars a 29-23 lead with 6:14 remaining.
Nate Marshall almost sealed things for Fenwick when with nothing but open field ahead, he had an interception bounce off his hands on DePaul’s next possession. This proved costly as the Rams went on to convert two fourth downs on the drive, the second being a 28-yard pass from Rodriguez to Bloom that tied the game. But the Friars blocked the extra point to keep the score 29-29 with 2:03 left in regulation.
A Hill completion of 22 yards to Rowan White along with D’Alise runs of 12 and 8 yards put Sur in position to win the game. But his 40-yard field goal went wide left as time expired, resulting in overtime.
Titus Bautista ran in from three yards out to give DePaul the lead in overtime, but Hill found Marshall for a six-yard score to even things.
In the second overtime, Hill connected with Avion Brown for a 10-yard score. After Bautista responded with a 10-yard score, DePaul opted to go for two. Rodriguez rolled out to his right and found Peevy in the right corner of the end zone for a successful conversion and the win.
“I’m really proud of the way the offense fought back the last couple of drives,” Hill said.
Defensively, Aiden Burns had 2.5 sacks (tackling Rodriguez on back-to-back plays in the second quarter), and D’Alise had a sack and interception.
The loss means that Fenwick’s state playoff hopes are on the line when the Friars visit IC Prep (6-2) on Oct. 20 in a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Orange Division showdown. Kickoff is set for 7:30 at Plunkett Park in Elmhurst, with the winner gaining a share of the division title.
“Myself, Luke, and the other seniors are stressing that this is the last guaranteed week of high school football we’re going to get,” Hill said. “I want to get another chance to fight with my brothers and showcase our abilities.”