Senior offensive guard Joey Campagna and his Riverside Brookfield High School football teammates can feel the difference after improving to 5-0 on Senior Night Friday. That includes the intensified summer conditioning program orchestrated by new defensive coordinator Marcus Griffin.
“The summer was obviously different because we were waking up early. The practices were pretty intense but they were a lot of fun with the new coaching staff,” Campagna said.
“The conditioning, we did a good amount but it was practical. I think it’s really helped us get to all of the wins we’re getting now – and in the future.”
The Bulldogs once again started strong in their 47-27 victory over Fenton, taking a 12-0 lead that grew to 33-7 by halftime and 40-7 in the third quarter. Quarterback Giancarlo Garcia rushed for 84 yards on seven carries with TDs of 7 and 9 yards and passed for 65 yards, finishing with a 46-yard TD play to Nico Caputo. Quarterback Braeden Novak had a 13-yard TD run and passed for 94 yards with a 22-yard TD pass to Xavier Mrozik-DeJesus.
Damian Renteria had a 12-yard TD run and a fumble recovery for the defense. Tackle leaders were Oscar Aguirre (6 total) and Warren Mason (5 solos). Andrew Olivares and Miguel Arteaga had sacks, Damian Nieves and Ben Biskupic combined on another and Jaden Barrett had a tackle for loss. Mason and Olivares forced fumbles.
Continuing their best start since 2017, the Bulldogs avenged their third of five losses in 2024. The 21-14 final at Fenton was their only one-score setback.
“I feel what happened last year and just coming back and dominating [Fenton] is probably like the best feeling ever,” senior two-way lineman Nick Cisneros said. “This one [was great] because it was Senior Night and last year was a heartbreaking loss. This year, we got to show how good we are.”
Now the Bulldogs approach the teeth of their Upstate Eight East Division schedule, beginning with a trip to Glenbard South (4-1). The Raiders at 3-0 and RBHS and Glenbard East (4-1) at 2-0 are the lone remaining undefeated teams in UEC East play.
“[Friday] went pretty good besides a few little mistakes that we need to correct later on,” said co-captain Nieves. “I feel (better conditioned), for sure. Definitely it translates to the field. The conditioning we do in practice is nowhere near as much as we do in the field. It’s viable, practical.”
RBHS coach Sam Styler said improved conditioning also has helped with team unity.
“I’m sure some of the guys didn’t like it too much [at the time], but it was an effort to make sure we’re able to play four quarters of football every week and they’ve been able to do so,” Styler said.
“We would end every day with some variation of a conditioning segment and it’s tough after going through a two-hour practice. It’s just trying to instill some mental toughness more than anything. Most importantly it’s trying to get the guys buying in together. They did a great job with that all summer. Kudos to Coach Griffin running that throughout and now it’s paying dividends here in the season.”
LTHS football
After a rough first half Saturday, sophomore tight end Grant Smith and Lyons Township found their offense in the second.
The Lions scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to close within one score twice before losing at Glenbard West 24-17.
“Definitely our second half, we were able to move the ball up and down the field,” Smith said. “I think that first half we were kind of stagnant and we have to play that first half like we did the second half.”
LTHS (3-2, 0-2 in West Suburban Conference Silver Division) fell behind 17-3 with 2:01 left in the third quarter. The 6-foot-6 Smith caught the Lions’ first TD pass from quarterback Jack Slightom, a 16-yarder, with 9:49 to go. With 2:57 left, the Lions’ Owen Matela caught a 14-yard TD pass for the game’s final points. Glenbard West (5-0, 3-0) recovered the onside kick and ran out the clock.
“I’m proud of the way our guys battled,” LTHS coach Jon Beutjer said.
“It was a two-possession game [twice]. We have a lot of young kids but I was proud of the way they fought. We found out about a lot of our players today.”
The defense had another solid overall day, but the Hilltoppers scored on a 65-yard TD pass just 37 seconds before halftime to open a 14-3 halftime lead and immediately answered the Lions’ first TD with a 57-yard TD run by Jamarcus Kelly (147 rushing yards) on third-and-8 with 7:26 left.
“That touchdown pass and that third down (TD by Kelly) we’ve got to get off the field there, but again we’ve got a lot of young guys playing,” Beutjer said.
Smith finished with 10 catches for 101 yards after two receptions last game against Hinsdale Central.
“I think just in practice we’ve been repping all of these routes a bunch of times,” Smith said.
Slightom was 26-for-38 passing for 201 yards. Matela (46 yards) and running back EJ Kuhlman (42 combined yards) each had five catches.
Ryland Avants’ 40-yard field goal gave LTHS its first points 5:25 before halftime following an interception by Anthony Pearson. Dylan Wolf then recovered his onside kick off the leg of a Glenbard West lineman at the 50, but the Lions could not convert.
With the game scoreless, the Lions started their second drive at the Glenbard West 20 after a bad punt snap. They couldn’t progress and Ryland’s 46-yard field-goal attempt sailed wide right in the crosswind.
Defensively, Patrick Cheney and Brady Rusk had sacks. Tackle leaders were Cole Harris (10), Pearson (9) and Brady Koren (7).
Smith is the younger brother of 2023 graduate Graham Smith, who emerged as a tight end for the Lions after playing quarterback as a freshman and sophomore. Graham Smith now plays at Yale.
“Junior year (at LTHS), switching to tight end, he wasn’t getting a lot of reps. Senior year was just super cool to watch,” Grant Smith said. “He’s brought me to a lot of these receiver trainings and he texts me after games. He’s pretty much been coaching me, too.”