For the first time in eight seasons, the Oak Park and River Forest football team is headed to the IHSA Class 8A playoffs. That happened Friday by virtue of a 48-20 drubbing of Addison Trail in a West Suburban Conference crossover, which improved the Huskies’ record to 4-4 overall and 2-3 in the Silver Division.
The OPRF rushing attack was in rare form Friday as senior Norlan Davis rumbled 10 times for 123 yards and two touchdowns, while sophomore Labrone Neal added another 10 rushes for 91 yards and a score. Another senior back, Liam Smith, contributed two touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, the Huskies racked up three interceptions – one apiece from seniors Robert Kolovitz and Niko Vielhr and another from junior inside linebacker Karson Fields that he almost took all the way to the end zone.
Fields is a captain and also plays center, so he played the majority of snaps on both sides of the ball Friday. OPRF coach John Hoerster was impressed with his entire team, but especially Fields.
“You have a center that is also playing linebacker, and he’s able to take on two demanding roles,” Hoerster said.
The last time the Huskies were in the playoffs, Fields was in grammar school. That was back in 2018, when the locals beat New Trier 34-16 in the first round before falling to eventual state runner-up Brother Rice 27-17 in the second round. Fields remembers none of that. He’s more interested in right now.
“My mindset going into this is just keeping the same work ethic we’ve had since late summer, and making sure everyone has bought in,” Fields said Sunday, “and work every day as hard so we can to get past the first round and hopefully play into November.”
Hoerster said the most important thing he’s learned, at least so far, about his newly minted playoff team is its resiliency.
“We’ve been in some really tight battles with some really good teams,” he said. “The kids showed up the next week ready to play football. Their response to winning and response to losing has been positive. They are a pretty mature group for as young as they are.”
But the playoffs don’t have to be a totally serious affair. There is Saturday evening’s 2026 IHSA Football Playoff Pairings Show at 9 p.m. on WCIU, which will be a party in and of itself.
Hoerster said his team will likely have a workout late Saturday, have dinner at school and watch the show … then cheer when OPRF’s name is called, regardless of the opponent.
It’s been awhile.
“It’s a fun experience for the kids and the coaches to face someone new,” Hoerster said.
Fenwick dispatches St. Viator
Like Hoerster, Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia has thoughts about what he has learned about his team with one week to go in the regular season and the playoffs beyond that, with the opportunity for the Friars to defend their Class 6A title.
“I think what I’ve learned is we have still yet to play our best football,” Battaglia said. “We’re practicing as best and as cleanly as possible to improve the odds of success.”
It would be hard to be more successful than Fenwick was Friday in a 56-6 victory over visiting St. Viator at Triton College to improve to 5-3 overall and 0-2 in the Chicago Catholic League Orange Division.
Senior running back Jake Thies scored three touchdowns in the first 5 minutes of the game. Kam Rutlin, a senior defensive tackle and right guard, opened up super-size holes on offense for Thies and senior back Rocco Nero and was a disruptive force on the other side of the ball. Every few minutes, kicker JP Bordeaux-Walsh would trot out for an extra point. Didn’t miss one.
It was all too much for the hapless Lions, but with a big early lead, Thies and Rutlin and most of the starters sat a good portion of the game, allowing others to step up and get reps ahead of this Friday’s regular-season finale vs. Carmel, once again at Triton.
Consider senior Will O’Keefe, who stepped in for Rutlin on the offensive line and didn’t miss a beat. Senior receiver Ryan Murray had a touchdown, and sophomore Luke Bottari chipped in an interception that set up the last score of the first half. Freshman receiver Noah Marshall had a big game, Battaglia said.
And senior Tommy Quinn got a fair number of plays at quarterback, scoring a rushing touchdown, but he also contributed a hatful of tackles on defense at safety.
Like their crosstown brethren at OPRF, the Friars will have a team dinner at school ahead of the 9 p.m. playoff pairings show.
“It will be a little bit later … we’re going to have to keep some coaches awake,” Battaglia joked. “It’s always a fun night and it’s going to be fun if we end the season with a win.”