Facing the defending IHSA Class 4A champions on the road to open the season, it was imperative for the Fenwick High School football team to get off to a good start. The Friars did exactly that and more as two touchdowns within the game’s first four and a half minutes sparked an impressive 40-14 victory at DePaul Prep, Aug. 29.
“We were all just ready to go,” said Fenwick junior defensive back Jake Thies, who starred on both sides of the ball. “All summer, we were putting in the work, and it really showed on Friday night.”
“We came out and played a physical brand of football that we want to play all year,” said Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia. “But as I told the kids, we have a lot of stuff we need to correct and get better at to secure more victories down the line.”
It didn’t take long for Fenwick (1-0) to cash in on a recovery by Tommy Thies of a DePaul fumble, forced by Jake Thies, on the game’s opening possession. After the Friars took over on the Rams’ 41, Jake Thies’ 26-yard run moved the team into the red zone. Three plays later, Jamen Williams (15-of-19, 178 yards) connected with Mike Murphy for a 16-yard touchdown.
Following a punt, Fenwick again found the end zone quickly, this time on just two plays. Williams hit Myles Montgomery (seven receptions, 57 yards) for a gain of 15, then found Cameron Garrett for a 40-yard score and a 13-0 lead at the 7:38 mark of the first quarter.
Later in the quarter, Jake Thies came up with another big play defensively, intercepting an errant pass and returning it to the DePaul 12. Three plays later, Tommy Thies went in for a six-yard touchdown. In the second quarter, Jake Thies’s 36-yard run set up Tommy Thies (four rushes, 21 yards) for his second touchdown run, this one from 14 yards out.
“They both played great [offensively],” Battaglia said of the Thies brothers. “But we have to be smart about their touches because they play a lot of reps on defense.”
“I’ve been playing offense and defense most of my life, so it felt really good to get back on offense,” Jake Thies said.
With 1:34 left in the half, Williams found Josh Morgan in the end zone for a 20-yard score and gave Fenwick a commanding 33-0 halftime lead.
The Friars instituted a running clock midway through the third quarter when Williams tossed his fourth touchdown of the night, 12 yards to Will Tomczak.
“Jamen took what the defense gave him and took calculated shots,” Battaglia said. “He delivered great balls.”
Jake Thies had 68 rushing yards on just three carries and added 49 yards on three receptions. Defensively, Jimmy Bonakdar and Jake Thies each had sacks. Tommy Thies had 1.5 tackles for loss and Tomczak had a TFL.
Up next for Fenwick is the East Avenue Showdown with Oak Park and River Forest at Triton College, Sept. 5, at 6 p.m.
“We know it’s a big one for both schools,” Battaglia said. “It doesn’t matter what anyone’s record is or what they did the previous week, we know both sides are going to play as if it’s the Super Bowl.”