Even after being off with a bye the previous week, the Fenwick High School football team showed little rust in building up a sizable lead and coasting to a 38-20 victory over Highland Park in an IHSA Class 6A first-round playoff game at Triton College, Oct. 30.
But while happy to be moving on to the second round, Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia wasn’t entirely satisfied with how his team played.
“There was a lot of good, a lot of bad,” he said. “It was good to get a lot of guys game action in the playoffs. A lot to clean up on, but there was a lot of good on the field too.”
Fenwick defensive lineman Hank Holland said his teammates used the bye to get healthy. He added that they weren’t concerned with how the bye would affect their performance.
“We were really prepared,” Holland said. “We had extra time to work in practice, and we also healed up; we had some guys who were banged up in previous weeks.”
Highland Park (7-4) took the opening kickoff and chewed up about 7 minutes. But the Giants turned the ball over on downs at the Fenwick 40, and it took just four plays for the Friars (7-3) to score. Myles Hill (13-of-15, 187 yards) connected with Noah Marshall for 16 yards, then Jimmy Watts for 14, then two plays, and Jake Thies took it to the house from 30 yards out. JP Bordeaux-Walsh converted the first of his five PATs to give Fenwick a 7-0 lead at the 4:16 mark of the first quarter.
Thies’ touchdown was historic as it momentarily tied him with Robert Spillane for the most career total touchdowns in program history. He broke the tie with a 9-yard touchdown reception from Hill with 5:36 to go in the half.
“It definitely feels good to get an individual award,” said Thies, who now has 41 career touchdowns. “But nothing beats those team awards. We’re definitely going for a bigger goal. I wouldn’t be able to do this without my teammates.”
“Jake’s meant a lot (to Fenwick). He’s a great leader,” Holland said. “We’re all really grateful to have him on the team and impressed with the (touchdown) record.”
With 30 seconds left before halftime, Hill hit Marshall down the Fenwick sideline for a 40-yard score and a 21-0 lead.
“Noah’s been getting better every week,” Battaglia said of Marshall, who had five receptions for 110 yards. “He’s still developing. He’s still growing into his body and he’s barely beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.”
Fenwick got the ball to start the third quarter, and it only took 34 seconds for the Friars to score again, this time on a 24-yard run by Rocco Nero. Nero (11 rushes, 99 yards) had set it up on the previous play with a 31-yard run.
Then on Highland Park’s ensuing possession, Thies intercepted Gustav Crane and went the other way for a 60-yard pick-six.
“Quarterback overthrew the receiver a little bit. I just caught it and took it to the house,” he said.
Fenwick quarterback Myles Hill throws against Highland Park during an IHSA Class 6A first-round football playoff game, Oct. 30. Hill tossed two touchdown passes in the Friars’ 38-20 victory. Credit: Courtesy of Carol Dunning 
Fenwick’s Rocco Nero looks upfield against Highland Park in an IHSA Class 6A first-round football playoff game, Oct. 30. Nero ran for 99 yards and a touchdown in the Friars’ 38-20 victory Credit: Courtesy of Carol Dunning 
Fenwick’s Jimmy Watts looks for room to run against Highland Park during the Friars’ 38-20 victory in the first round of the IHSA Class 6A football playoffs, Oct. 30. Credit: Courtesy of Carol Dunning
Ninety-eight seconds into the third quarter, it was 35-0, and Fenwick seemed to be heading for a running-clock victory. But to their credit, Highland Park kept fighting until the end, and the Giants finally got on the board when Crane, off a flea-flicker, hit a wide-open Peter Dimitriou for a 25-yard touchdown later in the third.
With 7:17 remaining in the contest, Bordeaux-Walsh came on to kick a successful 32-yard field goal. Highland Park concluded the game’s scoring with a 21-yard touchdown pass from Crane to Dimitriou and a 1-yard score from John Boman.
Ryan Murray had two receptions for 26 yards and Watts had two for 20. Defensively, Holland led the Friars with eight tackles (one for loss). Kam Rutlin had a sack, and Thies along with Corey Griffin shared another one.
Fenwick will travel to Rockton Hononegah, the third seed in the 6A north bracket, for a second-round game. Kickoff is set for Nov. 7 at 1 p.m. The quality of competition greatly increases with each playoff round, and the Friars know they need to play better if they want to keep playing deep into November.
“We need to clean up a lot of stuff from the Highland Park game,” Holland said, “but I’m sure we’ll be prepared (for Hononegah) after practice this week.”
“To be honest, tonight was super-sloppy in my opinion,” Thies said. “We’ve got to look at the film, correct our mistakes, and have a good week of practice.”