The Fenwick football team put up a great fight Friday night in Chicago against Mount Carmel, the state’s top-ranked team in Class 8A. The Friars were thinking upset after tying the Caravan midway through the final quarter on a defensive score. But Mount Carmel scored a late touchdown, then forced a turnover on Fenwick’s final possession to prevail 35-28.
Jake Thies intercepted Emmett Dowling on the opening possession and returned it 43 yards to the Mount Carmel 41. Two plays later, Tommy Thies scored on a 41-yard run to give Fenwick (6-2) a 7-0 lead.
After the Caravan (8-0) tied things up on its next possession, the Friars marched 81 yards on 10 plays to regain the lead. Jamen Williams capped the drive with a 31-yard touchdown run at the 9:18 mark of the second quarter.
But the momentum shifted to Mount Carmel as a 47-yard field goal try by Noah Sur was blocked and returned deep into Fenwick territory. Dowling threw touchdown passes on back-to-back possessions to put the Caravan ahead 21-14 at halftime.
Things didn’t look good for Fenwick when Dowling threw his third touchdown pass with four seconds left in the third quarter to give Mount Carmel a 28-14 lead. But the Friars rallied in the fourth quarter as Jake Thies caught a short pass from Williams and eluded several defenders for a 21-yard score. Then Mike Murphy intercepted Dowling and returned it 32 yards for a pick-six and a 28-28 tie with 6:05 remaining.
However, on the ensuing drive, Nate Samuels put Mount Carmel in scoring position with a 34-yard run. A few plays later, Samuels scored from nine yards out to give the Caravan a 35-28 lead with 2:12 remaining.
Two plays into Fenwick’s next possession, Williams was sacked and stripped of the ball, and Mount Carmel recovered to seal the game.
Fenwick ends the regular season at Carmel, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in Mundelein.
OPRF football
In its home finale Friday night versus Addison Trail, OPRF took a 10-point lead in the second quarter. But the visiting Blazers ran off 20 unanswered points and held on for a 23-20 victory over the Huskies, who dropped their fourth consecutive game.
Liam Smith ran for 159 yards on 30 carries and a touchdown for OPRF (2-6). Chris Crape caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from Darren Law, and John Matz recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown for the Huskies, who end the season Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m., at Hinsdale Central.
Fenwick/Trinity girls cross-country
At the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference meet hosted by Marmion, Oct. 18, Fenwick finished third in the Red Division with 89 points.
Junior Juliana Gamboa paced the Friars with a fifth-place finish, coming in at a time of 18:20.01. Sophomore Bridget Brunick was seventh in 18:54.31 and junior Mia Bagato was eighth in 18:54.74 to give Fenwick three top ten runners.
The Friars’ other runners were juniors Lily Kotynek (30th), Allison Austin (39th), and Maya Trouillhet (40th), and senior Romy Bergetz (41st).
Trinity had four runners competing in the White Division. Junior Alexa Rodriguez had the Blazers’ best finish, coming in 22nd in 24:40.32. Senior Grace Ramel (23rd), freshman Janiyah Vazzana (27th), and junior Mary Margaret Wynne (28th) completed Trinity’s lineup.
Fenwick boys cross-country
Also at Marmion, Fenwick’s boys placed ninth in the Chicago Catholic League meet with 239 points. Junior Burke Burns had the Friars’ best showing, placing 40th in 17:08.37.
Fenwick’s other competitors were senior Jason Garza (46th), sophomore Wolfie Bergetz (47th), and seniors Nicholas Casaccio (52nd), James Kiesewetter (54th), and Aidan Powers (56th).