Fenwick 42
Lindblom 0
Clock in, clock ’em in the face and clock out. That was the workmanlike approach the Fenwick football team employed in a 42-0 rout of Lindblom Academy at Morton Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Friars (1-1) scored on their first five possessions to build an insurmountable 35-0 lead at halftime.
“We came out strong and played against the fundamentals,” Fenwick coach Joe DiCanio said. “We didn’t want to play behind the chains, which we did last week [in a 19-13 loss to Notre Dame]. It was important to get off the ball, avoid penalties and play fundamental football. It was a total team effort.”
On their opening possession, Fenwick scored when quarterback Pat Hart pitched the ball to Eric Hulihan who scampered into the end zone for a 7-0 lead at the 8:46 mark of the first quarter. Three minutes later, the Friars struck again when Jack Stibich rambled 17 yards off right tackle to move the score to 14-0. Hulihan (8 carries, 84 yards) added a 28-yard touchdown run and Hart tossed a 4-yard touchdown strike to Quinn Murphy also in the first quarter. Fenwick took a 28-0 lead and never looked back.
“We had the mindset to get the ball and score fast,” Stibich said. “Our defense did a great job of giving us a short field. Our coaches always talk to us about each of us doing our job and everything will work out.”
The Friars’ offensive line of John Dunlap, Ryan Horn, Matt Doherty, Steven Sreniawski and Niall Mulcahy led the Friars to 195 yards rushing.
Playing with just 24 players, the Eagles fought hard all afternoon but were overwhelmed by the Friars’ size and depth.
“Our coach told us to not pay attention to the scoreboard and just keep fighting,” said Lindblom linebacker Deshante Dunning. “We don’t worry about numbers. At the end of the day you still have to put 11 players on the field.”
Up 28-0, the Friars played several reserves and maintained their high level of execution. Junior running back Lorenzo Martin tacked on a pair of three-yard touchdown runs to extend the Fenwick lead to 42-0. Kicker Zach Laszkiewicz (7 PATs), Joe Kelly (interception) and Stephen O’Donnell (fumble recovery) also contributed.
With a much-needed first win in the books, the Friars now begin an extremely difficult five-week stretch of Catholic League games, starting this Saturday at 11:30 a.m. against Mt. Carmel at Gately Stadium.