Tim Giacomelli and Will Rio were among the Riverside Brookfield High School football seniors who sure went out in style their final homecoming weekend. On Friday, the Bulldogs won their fourth straight game, 49-20 over Fenton, to remain tied for first in the Upstate Eight Conference East Division.
“It’s one of our biggest games of the year. Getting the win with all of my friends and being able to see them the next day makes the next day 10 times better,” Giacomelli said. “It’s obviously sad, our last one (as seniors) but you can’t write that up any better, ending up with the win.”
On Saturday morning, the Bulldogs (4-1, 3-0 in UEC East) showcased their talents in other ways. After film sessions and players treated to bowls of cereal, RBHS head coach Sam Styler led a now annual seminar in which players are presented neckties with Styler’s demonstration of how to tie them properly.
“This year and last year I see at the homecoming dance people who wore the ties that he gave us,” Rio said. “They’re always making fun (at our meeting) of those who can’t tie a tie. I would say a good 20 percent already knew. Most of the team needed Styler. He stands in the middle and you watch him do it.”
Riverside-Brookfield’s Andrew Olivares (66) tries to get past Fenton’s Jake Dzierzanowski (75) during an Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Fenton’s Robert Green (9) is caught from behind by Riverside-Brookfield’s Bryan Rimpila (8) during an Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Nicholas Baca (12) gains yards after his catch against Fenton during an Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Gideon Bradford (0) tries to avoid Fenton’s Aaron Corral (40) during an Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Riverside-Brookfield’s Anthony Lembcke (7) tackles Fenton’s Robert Green (9) during an Upstate Eight Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Brookfield, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
The Bulldogs’ offense once again needed little assistance Friday. Senior Nico Caputo returned the opening kickoff 37 yards. Senior quarterback Braeden Novak ran 53 yards on the next play for a 7-0 lead. Three plays after a 21-yard pass to senior Nick Baca to the 18, senior Gideon Bradford scored on an 8-yard run. Giacomelli then enjoyed his third TD reception of the season, a 32-yarder from Novak down the right sideline for a 21-0.
“(We) missed that in Week 1 so it was good to come back to it. It was an excellent throw by him and you can’t draw it up much better than that,” Giacomelli said. “It’s surreal, seeing all of your friends that you’ve been going to school with for four years (in the stands) on your way back from the TD. Seeing all of them jumping up and down for you is one of the greatest experiences I’ve ever felt and will be one of the greatest experiences I will ever feel.”
Add to that a 48-yard TD pass to Caputo, in which he scurried the final 27 yards down the left sideline eluding two tacklers, and Novak’s 2-yard TD run one second before halftime. RBHS led 35-7.
In the third quarter, Tyler Schultz had a 10-yard TD run and Andrew Mauban caught a 17-yard TD pass from Novak for a 49-7 advantage with 3:08 left in the third quarter.
The Bulldogs share the UEC East lead with defending champion Glenbard East (3-2, 3-0), which beat Glenbard South 20-12 Friday. The Rams visit RBHS Oct. 9.
“I know for my teammates playing varsity a little longer, a lot of emotions that it was their last (homecoming). Mine was more about showing up for my last homecoming game,” said Rio, a starting defensive back. “We want to win the conference and are doing things every day to do that. I think so far we’ve left everything on the field and put up five pretty good games.”
The speedy Giacomelli has emerged as a big-play receiver after the graduation of All-UEC receivers Xavier Mrozik-DeJesus and Jayden Karas.
“Being behind (them) last year taught me so much. This year, being able to try and fill those shoes, has made me better in so many ways,” Giacomelli said.
He also gave credit to the RBHS football program and the little things, such as the necktie gathering and its “brotherly bonding.”
“RB football has been about all of that for me,” Giacomelli said. “They give just so much more than football. They give life experiences.”
LTHS football
Lyons Township had momentum from a second-quarter 43-yard TD pass from quarterback Brendan McCabe to Owen Matela, but Glenbard West scored two touchdowns to start the third quarter and defeated the Lions 37-16 Friday in Western Springs.
The Lions (4-1, 1-1 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) entered the game ranked a season-high No. 4 for Class 8A in the Illinois State Media Poll. Glenbard West (3-2, 2-1) shared No. 9 in 7A after losing to No. 4 Downers Grove North in Week 4.
LTHS led 3-0 in the first quarter on Wolfie Ketterling’s 28-yard field goal in the first quarter after Gavin Bunnell’s interception at the Hilltoppers’ 36. The TD pass to Matela cut the deficit to 13-9 with 4:45 left in the second quarter.
Lyons Township’s Brendan McCabe (3) scrambles and looks for a receiver against Glenbard West during a West Suburban Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Cole Harris (8) and Jack Lee (15) tackle and strip the ball from Glenbard West’s Ace Harris (3) during a West Suburban Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s EJ Kuhlman (20) gets taken down by Glenbard West’s Brady Johnson (8) during a West Suburban Conference game Friday, Sept. 18, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
The Hilltoppers then drove from their 31 for a 31-yard field goal and a 16-9 halftime lead. They opened the third quarter with an 87-yard scoring drive, including a 55-yard run, and followed with an 80-yard TD pass right after McCabe was intercepted in the end zone for a 30-9 lead.
EJ Kuhlman scored on a 2-yard pass from McCabe to close to 30-16 with 5:05 left.
McCabe passed for 121 yards and Kuhlman rushed for 58 yards. Glenbard West had 252 rushing yards and 351 total yards.
The Lions’ Brady Koren had 10 tackles with one for loss and Ian Collins also had an interception. Other tackle leaders were Bunnell (9), Cole Harris (6) and Colman O’Sullivan (5). Harris’ father, Sheldon, is a varsity assistant football coach for the Hilltoppers.
