RBHS football moves to 4-0 with homecoming shutout

Riverside Brookfield High School senior safety Warren Mason is determined to have a better finish this football season. Mason earned All-Upstate Eight Conference East Division honors in 2024, but also suffered a knee injury in Week 8 and missed the season finale. The Bulldogs lost to UEC East champion Glenbard East and missed the playoffs by one victory with a 4-5 record.

“There was definitely a little extra edge [this season],” Mason said.

“Freshman year I got hurt a lot. It was sort of that, ‘Is he going to be soft?’ I really focused on trying to prove people wrong on the field, staying on the field, staying healthy. This season, I want to make sure I’m on the field helping the team as much as I can, doing my job, doing my assignments.” 

Mason once again made his presence known in Friday’s homecoming game with a fumble recovery on a kickoff return and 49-yard interception return in the Bulldogs’ 51-0 victory over Elgin in a UEC crossover. 

The Bulldogs are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2017.

“I think the biggest difference between last year and this year is the coaching staff. I have to give a huge shout-out to (offensive coordinator Brad Vojcak and new defensive coordinator Marcus Griffin),” RBHS senior John Bielobradek said. “There’s a reason why we’re winning games because we’re the most conditioned, so we have to thank Coach Griffin for that.” 

RBHS has outscored opponents 178-59, the highest and lowest totals, respectively, in the UEC East. The defense posted the Bulldogs’ first shutout since Week 3 in the 2023 season. 

On the Bulldogs’ first possession, Nico Caputo caught a 5-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Braeden Novak. After Mason’s fumble recovery on the ensuing kickoff at the 16, quarterback Giancarlo Garcia ran for a TD on the next play. 

Mason’s interception return to the Elgin 25 set up a 19-yard TD pass from Garcia to senior Xavier Mrozik-DeJesus for a 27-0 lead. RBHS led 41-0 by halftime.   

“It should have been a pick-six [interception], to be honest. I always like to go back and just improve, even if it’s a good play,” Mason said. “Honestly, the thing that’s standing out is we’re winning games. It’s such a great feeling. I can’t even describe it. I walk into school [on Fridays] and I’m proud to put on my jersey. I just really love this team right now and I’m very happy.”  

Jacob Retana had 5- and 1-yard TD runs and rushed for 93 yards behind 32- and 39-yard gains. As passers, Novak (TD) and Garcia (2 TDs) had 94 and 82 yards, respectively. 

Bielobradek had a 1-yard TD run and kicked a 40-yard field goal. In the fourth quarter, junior Tim Giacomelli scored on a 44-yard TD pass from Garcia with a key downfield block from junior Will Rio. Jayden Karas added a two-point conversion pass to Jake Dudzik. 

“Obviously very proud of both sides of the ball, the way we executed and started fast and the way we finished. We were able to get in a lot of backups and they continued [the momentum],” RBHS coach Sam Styler said. “Just a great team effort all the way around.” 

So far it’s been a season of opportunities. Novak has gone from being the starting junior varsity quarterback last season to joining 2024 All-UEC East starter Garcia as a powerful 1-2 quarterback duo.

Bielobradek had his second touchdown of the season, Friday, both at home, after nearly scoring on his 11-yard gain the preceding play. 

“I didn’t have any touchdowns last season so it’s awesome to be a part of the offense,” he said. Bielobradek also was last year’s kicker and enjoyed a memorable field goal Friday. The ball hit the middle of the bottom post but continued through. 

“I thought I got a little bit more of a boot on it. That’s not my proudest moment, but I’m glad it went in,” he said. “Coming from a kicker’s perspective, I’ve been kicking my whole life. [The field goal] still felt great but I have to say the touchdown always feels better. Thanks to Coach Vojcak, I feel a part of the offense. I feel I belong with this team so the whole coaching staff has changed the way I view football and I appreciate them for that.”

Total tackles leaders included Bryan Rimpila (seven), Ryan Ferguson and Mason (five each), Anthony Lembcke (four) and John Evans Jr. (3 solos). Oscar Aguirre had two tackles for loss. Mason, Rimpala, Evans and Joey Zimmerman had pass breakups.

Once again this season, Ferguson made a solo tackle that prevented a first down. Ferguson was injured for last year’s homecoming and only played in three of the last five games.

“Week in and week out, it’s great to be a part of it, just do my job and I know all of the guys around me are going to do their job and we’ll hopefully keep that goose egg [on defense],” Ferguson said. “It’s just really great to be starting, contributing to the special teams and make my teammates be happy they played football with me.”

The Bulldogs have avenged two of their 2024 losses and get another chance at home Friday with Fenton (2-2, 1-1 in UEC East). The Bison lost to Elgin 20-14 in the opener and 56-14, Sept. 19, at current UEC East leader Glenbard South (3-1, 2-0).

“I’m not a math guy, but I think we’re around 46 points a game,” Bielobradek said. “We’re doing great. We just have to keep our heads up. We have a couple of tough opponents coming up. We have to keep stepping on the gas. We have to keep going.”

Correction, Sept. 30, 2025, 1:20 p.m.: A previous version of this article misspelled the name of a player. His name is Tim Giacomelli. The Landmark regrets the error.