Usually whenever I write a special Tate’s Take column at this time of year, it’s about a school making a deep run in the IHSA state football playoffs. Fenwick football is in the Class 6A quarterfinals for the second consecutive year, and I’ll have more on them shortly.
But first, I’m going to preview the Oak Park and River Forest girls’ volleyball team’s match in the Class 4A state semifinals versus Mother McAuley. It’s scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Friday at CEFCU Arena on the campus of Illinois State University in Normal.
The Huskies (27-8) are making their first state finals appearance since 1987, when they, under the guidance of head coach Shirley Redmond, finished second in the Class AA tournament with a 35-3 record. This is the program’s sixth state appearance; OPRF won back-to-back AA championships in 1978 and 1979.
OPRF is led by an excellent senior class. Outside Bella Gray, a transfer from Fenwick, has a team-high 265 kills this season for the Huskies, while setter Edie Carroll has 295 assists, and libero Devyn Kleidon has 330 digs. Junior middle Eva Truss paces OPRF in blocks with 74.
Other significant contributors include senior outside Emmi Bozarth (team-leading 43 aces, 221 kills, 211 digs), senior outside Aniyah Scott (127 kills, 60 blocks), senior middle Jaida Garland (74 kills, 45 blocks), junior setter Lura Weiner (207 assists), junior setter Greta Ostry (191 assists), and senior outside Celia Jackson (40 kills, 11 blocks).
OPRF will need to be at their best to defeat Mother McAuley (36-4), the top-ranked team in 4A according to IllPrepVB.com. The Mighty Macs are going for their 17th state championship and are led by junior outside Keira McQuillan (287 kills), senior setter Peyton Heatherly (649 assists), junior libero Ava Calle (374 digs), and sophomore middle Chyla Jukes (92 blocks).
OPRF is playing their best volleyball when it matters most and that’s due to the Huskies’ rigorous schedule during the regular season in which they faced several top opponents. One of them was Mother McAuley at the Glenbard East Autumnfest on Oct. 17.
Although OPRF lost in three sets (17-25, 25-18, 13-25), the Huskies gained confidence from that match. They know they can stay with the Mighty Macs.
The key to the rematch will be how well OPRF starts. If the Huskies come out with confidence, play with poise, and stay disciplined, I like their chances of getting the upset.
It should also help them that there’s sure to be a large Dog Pound presence in Normal. There’s no doubt that the students, staff, and community are proud of what OPRF has accomplished so far and are ready to provide the vocal boost the Huskies will need.
No question, Mother McAuley is the Goliath of girls’ volleyball in the state. But I’m going with OPRF to not just beat the Mighty Macs, but also win their first state title in 47 years. There’s been something special about this team, and their long journey will end in the ultimate satisfaction this weekend.
FENWICK FOOTBALL
Speaking of special, that’s what I think about Fenwick football this year. Many felt that the Friars would take a step back this season after losing several key players from the 2025 Class 6A state champions.
Yet here we are, and Fenwick (8-3) is not just very much alive, they’re a viable threat to repeat with the way the brackets have turned out. The Friars host Wheaton North at Triton College in a 6A quarterfinal Saturday at 1 p.m.
Last week, Fenwick jumped out to a 24-0 halftime lead en route to defeating host Hononegah 38-13. Myles Hill threw four touchdown passes, three to Jake Thies, who added an interception defensively. The Friars have outscored their opponents 76-33 in the postseason.
When the 6A north bracket came out, most (including yours truly) thought Fenwick, the sixth seed, would host second-seeded Geneva this weekend. But that dream matchup never materialized, thanks to Wheaton North pulling off a 36-35 upset of the Vikings.
After Geneva took the lead with 1:30 remaining, the Falcons went on an 80-yard drive that ended with Grant Neibch finding Johnny Clayton for the game-winning score with 7.8 seconds left. Neibch, a sophomore, threw for 309 yards, and Mac Murray added 101 yards on the ground.
As Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia told my colleague Gregg Voss earlier this week, Wheaton North will be a challenge.
“They are going to pose a threat. This is a good, young and hungry football team,” Battaglia said of the Falcons.
I’d be very concerned if this game was at Wheaton North. The Falcons are playing with house money so to speak. No one expected them to still be playing at this point, so they really have nothing to lose. I expect Wheaton to come out aggressive and try to set the tone early. Tey play in a good conference (DuKane) and won’t be intimidated playing a Chicago Catholic League school.
But Fenwick has two distinct advantages. First, the Friars’ big-game experience. Though many of this year’s players didn’t play much last year, they were on the sideline watching and learning from the seniors. Moreover, Thies, an Iowa commit, has proven to be an outstanding and inspiring leader for the Friars. He sets the standard for the team to follow with his hard-nosed play on both sides of the ball.
The game is at Triton, where Fenwick is tough to beat. This Saturday though, I get the sense that Friar Nation will need to bring the noise in spades. There’s no doubt Wheaton will bring plenty of boisterous fans and students, so it’s important for the Fenwick faithful to be the 12th Man and not only match, but exceed the energy Falcons fans bring.
My take? It’ll be a close one, unlike those that have occurred during Fenwick’s ongoing four-game winning streak. If the Friars remain poised and disciplined, they should prevail.