FENWICK 7 13 21 7 48
HALES 0 12 0 6 18
While the mega match-up of the Chicago Catholic League-Mt. Carmel versus St. Rita-was already a day old, Fenwick made sure there was still exciting football to be played in the CCL on Saturday. The Friars ran through Hales Franciscan 48-18 at Morton West to put their record even at 2-2 on the season.
After losing the first two games of the season by a total score of 57-6, the Friars made amends, pummeling their next two opponents by a score of 89-24. In the Catholic League cross-over game Saturday, the Friars kicked things off by surprising Hales with a no-huddle offense throughout the first quarter. The attack eventually led to a 3-yard touchdown run by Fenwick running back Greg Killingsworth. Dominick Campagna’s extra point put the Friars up 7-0 early.
Hales answered in the second quarter when Chris Pepples hit Amanti White for a 37-yard touchdown pass. A 2-point conversion attempt failed and the Spartans trailed 7-6. But it was a busy second quarter for both teams.
Fenwick running back Colin Tobin (22 carries, 220 yards, 2 TDs) burst through the line for a 38-yard TD scramble, before Pepples found White yet again, this time for 68 yards.
The Friars snagged back the advantage when quarterback Mike Androwich found Denis Cahill from 11 yards out with just 15 seconds left in the half. The extra-point attempt was blocked, and the Friars took a 21-12 lead into intermission.
“I’m really happy with our performance,” said Fenwick head coach Joe DiCanio. “Hales played De La Salle tough the week before, so we know going in it wasn’t going to be an east task. The goal was to get into the fourth quarter with a good lead and then we’d wear them down, and we did that.”
Tobin scored his second of three touchdowns on the day with a 2-yard number in the third. Androwich (5-of-9, 90 yards, 3 TD passes) spun touchdown passes to Cahill (13 yards) and Joe Musso (29 yards) in the third to close the door.
Running back Dan Diaz scored Fenwick’s final touchdown on a 3-yard burst with eight minutes left in the game.
Fenwick’s secondary had a rough day, allowing Hales (2-2, 2-1) to convert first downs on four third down situations for over 80 yards. DiCanio insisted the club would be working out the problem during practices this week.
“Football is like a golf swing,” he said, “if something goes good something else breaks down. You have to continuously refine it. We had some good moments in this game, but there were also some things we need to go to work on, and we’ll do that this week as we prepare for Saturday.
“The other thing we have going for us is that a lot of people have us picked to finish last in our new division, so I know the players want to prove these people wrong.”
The Friars open CCL White Division play against Bishop McNamara at Morton West on Saturday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1:30 p.m.
Mt.Carmel upset top-ranked St. Rita 35-19 on Friday night. The Friars travel to St. Rita, a team they upset last season before the Mustangs went on to win the Class 7A State Championship, on Oct. 5.
