When Nazareth Academy senior quarterback Jackson Failla moved to Brookfield from Pennsylvania in mid-June, he soon became impressed by the football team’s culture.
“It was hard adjusting at first but everyone here is so welcoming, kind. I felt right at home pretty quickly,” Failla said. “Just everybody and the coaches, there’s a level of expectation with how we play and prepare but there’s a level of fun to it.”
On Saturday, Failla saw his new teammates’ true character during perhaps the greatest comeback in program history. Down 12 points with fewer than three minutes left and out of timeouts, the Roadrunners scored two late touchdowns to stun Lake Zurich 24-21 in the Class 6A state quarterfinals. Nazareth (11-1) now plays host to the semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday against Fenwick (9-3), a second-round 7A playoff team last year. Nazareth has won the 5A state title the past three seasons.
“It was pretty surreal, especially with just a couple of minutes left in the game and just being able to pull it out the way we did,” Failla said. “I think [the comeback] was the fact that no one was willing to give up. We knew it was a 48-minute game and we were going to play all 48.”
The last three minutes were epic. With 1:23 left, Failla completed the improbable a 15-yard TD pass to Trenton Walker and then ran in the two-point conversion for the three-point lead. Henry Sakalas provided the initial spark with the Roadrunners’ second blocked punt. Failla’s 7-yard TD pass to Charles Calhoun with 2:36 left closed the gap to 21-16. Frankie Nichols then pulled off the all-important onside kick that Cash Coleman recovered near midfield to begin the game-winning drive.
“It’s one of the craziest games I’ve been a part of – and seen,” Nichols said. “We just fought for the full 48 minutes and it was something special. I’m going to remember how excited everyone on the sidelines was, just not giving up and how everybody came together.”
After pulling ahead, the Roadrunners stopped Lake Zurich (9-3) on downs and ran out the clock. Nazareth held the Bears scoreless in the second half and stayed within two possessions.
“It was an instant classic. That was incredible,” Nazareth coach Tim Racki said of the victory. “I literally stress every day the importance of playing the entire 48 minutes, regardless of what the scoreboard is saying. We had a group of leaders on our sidelines when it wasn’t looking so good who said, ‘We’ve got time. We just need one more play.’ The defense did an excellent job of holding them and Henry’s blocked punt was a huge play for the first score. We started stacking those plays and riding that momentum and all of a sudden we had the lead, which we hadn’t all game.”
Failla was 12 for 26 passing for 149 yards with Walker catching six second-half passes for 74 yards. In the first half, Billy Harding kicked a 28-yard field goal and Justin Watson (13 carries, 74 yards) scored on a 2-yard run to close to 14-9 in the second quarter but the Bears scored again just before halftime.
Failla and Nichols split time at quarterback earlier in the season. Failla gradually got more snaps and Nichols began contributing for the first time defensively at cornerback. After Nichols briefly played quarterback Saturday for a different look, Failla returned for the TD pass to Calhoun, who shed a tackle to score.
“It was just electric,” Failla said. “It was like, ‘If we get the ball back, we’re going to score again.’”
Enter Nichols again, who usually handles punts and kickoffs. For the onside kick, it was either the right-footed Nichols or left-footed placekicker Harding. The Roadrunners tested the two-kicker onside strategy during the opening playoff victory over Hononegah but did not get the ball back. That time Harding kicked.
“[Lake Zurich was] kind of confused who was going to kick the ball. Coach Racki makes the call because he trusts both of us to execute,” Nichols said. “It ricocheted off one of their players and Cash happened to be there at the right time.”
For the final TD, Walker made the catch and eluded a tackle to score. Failla rolled out and ran in the two-point conversion.
“I just kind of put it there and let [Walker] do his thing,” Failla said. “It felt good but I relied on everyone around me. I feel like that’s what led us to be able to do that in the end.”
Dylan Wellner had 11 tackles and Ben Lukes and Will McGarry 10 each. Junior defensive end Chris Kasky of Brookfield blocked a punt and had eight tackles. Senior linebacker/defensive back Johnny Colon of Brookfield added three tackles.
Fenwick football
Fenwick Quarterback Jamen Williams leads the Friars into battle Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick OL Luke Leone holds off two Burlington Central defenders during first half action Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Cameron Garrett tries to work his way around a crowd of Burlington Central defenders during third quarter action on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Jake Thies eyes the end zone on his way to a third quarter touchdown on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick RB Jake Thies blows past multiple Burlington Central defenders during one of many impressive carries on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick RB Jake Thies had an impressive day with many carries for the Friars on their way to victory on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick Kicker Noah Sur gets his punt past a rushing Burlington Central defender on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Mike Murphy zeros in on Burlington Centrals Landon Arnold before taking him down in first half action on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick’s Mike Murphy (5) and Cam Rutlin were in beast mode while shutting down Burlington Central’s running game during third round playoff action on Saturday at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick QB Jamen Williams eludes multiple Burlington Central defenders during one of his impressive scrambles on Saturday November 15 2025 at Triton College. (Ian McLeod) 
Fenwick WR Will Tomczak starts his celly after scoring the games first touchdown against Burlington Central on Saturday. (Ian McLeod)
Fenwick (8-3) advanced to the 6A semifinals with a 49-21 victory over Burlington Central at Triton College on Saturday. Riverside residents Luke Leone and Will Tomczak, both seniors, played vital roles in the Friars’ victory.
Tomczak caught a 40-yard touchdown pass from Jamen Williams on the game’s opening drive. Tomczak finished with four receptions for 75 yards and has emerged this season as one of Williams’s go-to receivers.
Leone, a starting defensive lineman, helped Fenwick’s defense limit Central’s powerful running game to 77 yards.
Senior Connor Wahl of Riverside is the starting center.
Fenwick is in the IHSA state semifinals for the fifth time in program history.