Fenwick senior football co-captain Tommy Thies remembers watching – along with younger brother Jake – the 2021 team win the IHSA Class 5A state championship, the first in the program’s storied history. Now he and his teammates are one victory away from making a trip to state themselves.
“It’s definitely been a goal of ours to get to this point. We’re not done yet, but we’re excited,” Tommy Thies said after the Friars’ impressive 49-21 win over Burlington Central in a Class 6A quarterfinal on Saturday at Triton College. This is the fifth time that Fenwick has reached the semi-final stage of the state playoffs – the others being 1981, 1995, 2016, and 2021.
While appreciating the win, Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia knows there’s more work to be done.
“It feels like we did our job and we’re taking it one week at a time,” he said.
Central is known for a power-running offense that chews up time and shortens games, so it was imperative that Fenwick (9-3) start fast offensively. The Friars did exactly that, scoring on their first two drives.
Fenwick took the opening kickoff and quickly marched 83 yards on just four plays, the final being a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jamen Williams (17-of-20, 214 yards passing) to Will Tomczak (four receptions, 75 yards), 97 seconds in. Following a three-and-out on defense, the offense again went to work, going 64 yards on nine plays, capping things with a six-yard touchdown run by Jake Thies.
That was the beginning of a big afternoon for the junior, who finished with 249 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries.
“Jake’s been a force,” Tommy said. “He’s my little brother. I try to work hard so he can work harder; everything I do, he’s doing. … We go hand-in-hand perfectly, and it just has worked out in the long run because he wants to be great, I want to be great, and we’re in that race right now.”
Central (10-2) got on the board as Landon Arnold (12-of-28, 175 yards passing; 14 carries, 52 yards rushing) scored on a five-yard keeper to end a 14-play drive that went 80 yards and used up almost eight minutes. The touchdown cut Fenwick’s lead to 13-7 with 8:20 to go in the half.
Jake Thies’ brilliant 42-yard run in which he zigzagged across the field set up his second touchdown from seven yards out with :17 left before halftime, raising the lead to 20-7.
The first time Fenwick touched the ball in the second half, Thies broke loose and sprinted 68 yards to the house, then Williams hit Will Hosty with a two-point conversion to make it 28-7 with 8:17 left in the third quarter.
Grant Deering scored from a yard out on the ensuing drive a minute later for Central, but any Rockets’ comeback hopes were doused as the Friars scored on their next three drives: a 15-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Raphiel Stewart (four receptions, 58 yards); a two-yard keeper by Williams; and a 52-yard dash by Jake Thies. Fenwick finished with 514 yards of offense, including 300 rushing.
Defensively, the Friars limited Central to 77 yards rushing. Mike Murphy had 7.0 tackles; Zikomo Mbewe 4.5 tackles, including a sack; Tommy Thies 4.0 tackles, including a sack; and Liam Cahill 4.0 tackles.
Fenwick visits Nazareth Academy for a semifinal showdown, Nov. 22, at 1 p.m. Trailing 21-9 against visiting Lake Zurich late in their quarterfinal, the Roadrunners stunned the Bears with two scores in the final 2:36 to eke out a 24-21 victory.
Fenwick WR Will Tomczak starts his celly after scoring the games first touchdown against Burlington Central on Saturday. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick OL Luke Leone holds off two Burlington Central defenders during first half action Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick QB Jamen Williams eludes multiple Burlington Central defenders during one of his impressive scrambles on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Mike Murphy (5) and Cam Rutlin were in beast mode while shutting down Burlington Central’s running game during third round playoff action on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Mike Murphy zeros in on Burlington Centrals Landon Arnold before taking him down in first half action on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick Kicker Noah Sur gets his punt past a rushing Burlington Central defender on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod)
The Friars know they’ll need to play a full 48 minutes in order to win at a place Nazareth rarely loses, especially in the postseason. The last time the Roadrunners lost a home playoff game? In 2021 in the 5A quarterfinals – against Fenwick.
“At the end of the day,” Battaglia said, “the biggest thing we’re focused on is Fenwick football. It’s exciting, there’s going to be a lot of noise, but our job has to be focusing on Fenwick.”
“[Nazareth] is definitely a good team,” Tommy Thies said, “who has not lost in the playoffs since we beat them. We’re just looking forward to getting better each and every day and coming ready to play, knowing our coaches will get us ready for the moment. We’re made for this, and we’re just excited that we get to play another game with our brothers.”