Late field goal sinks Fenwick
All season long, the Fenwick High School football team has played consistently tough defense that carried them to the IHSA playoffs.
"I feel this defense is one of the strongest Fenwick has had on the field," said Fenwick senior defensive lineman Aiden Burns. "If there was a good play, a teammate was charged to make a bigger one. We fed off each other, and once we got rolling, nothing was getting through us."
In a second-round Class 7A game at Downers Grove North, Nov. 9, the Friars' defense once again turned in an unyielding performance. Unfortunately, it was not enough as the Trojans kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired for a 13-10 victory, ending Fenwick's season.
Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia lauded the effort against the defending Class 7A runner-up, who advanced to the quarterfinals against Batavia.
"This is a championship team," he said. "We love them to death. I don't care what the result says on the field today, they played their hearts out and they're champions."
DGN (10-1) embarked on a 15-play, 60-yard drive to begin the game, but Fenwick (8-3) turned away the Trojans on downs at its 20.
On the Friars' possession, senior Frankie Hosty (12-of-21, 150 yards, INT) hit junior Raphiel Stewart (four receptions for 93 yards) for a 48-yard gain into DGN territory. But the offense stalled, and a 50-yard field goal try by senior Noah Sur sailed wide left, leaving things scoreless after 12 minutes.
The second quarter began with junior Myles Montgomery muffing a punt that was recovered by the Trojans' Weston Waughop at the Fenwick 31. But the Friars' defense rose to the occasion and again stopped DGN on downs.
Late in the first half, DGN got things rolling offensively. A 36-yard pass from Owen Lansu (19-of-38, 189 yards, INT) to Will Vala put the Trojans deep in Friars' territory. Then on 4th and 1 from the 5, Jake Gregorio gained two yards for a first down, and on the next play, he scored with :45 to go, giving DGN a 7-0 halftime lead.
Antoine Kollintzas raised the Trojans' lead to 10-0 with a 20-yard field goal at the 2:47 mark of the third quarter. But Fenwick quickly marched downfield and facing a 4th and 3 from the DGN 28, senior Jack Paris lined up at QB in the Wildcat formation. He took the snap and raced to the house untouched for the TD to cut the Friars' deficit to 10-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
"Playing with Jack is a blessing," Burns said. "Teams underestimate his athleticism both ways."
After getting a three-and-out defensively, Hosty guided Fenwick back into DGN territory. But the Friars stalled, and Sur's 50-yard field goal came up short with 8:13 left in regulation.
The teams exchanged defensive stops, but junior Tommy Thies intercepted Lansu at the DGN 30 with 4:49 left, gifting the Friars an excellent opportunity to tie or take the lead.
Hosty's 16-yard pass to senior Nate Marshall (Auburn commit) got Fenwick into the red zone. The drive stalled, but Sur's 29-yard field goal was good, tying the game at 10-10 with 2:38 to play.
On DGN's ensuing drive, the Friars' defense forced a pair of third and long situations. But a questionable defensive penalty kept the Trojans alive in each instance. The first was unsportsmanlike conduct after an incompletion with 1:24 left. The second was especially costly as Thies' interception and subsequent return deep into DGN territory got erased by pass interference — a call Fenwick fans vociferously disapproved. It gave the Trojans a first down at the Fenwick 33 with :37 left.
Lansu completions of 10 yards to Gregorio and four yards to Charlie Cruse, along with an eight-yard run by Alec Fiermuga (23 carries, 70 yards) got DGN into field-goal range. Following an incompletion with four seconds left, Kollintzas came on for a game-winning 28-yard field goal attempt. His kick was good as time expired to eliminate Fenwick in heartbreaking fashion.
"Unfortunately, the game didn't go our way," Burns said. "It was a hell of a game and a battle we loved to fight."
Burns is one of 27 players Fenwick loses to graduation, and Battaglia appreciated their leadership.
"It's a special group of young men, and I'm going to miss them dearly," he said.
