Suburban Life football notes: Fenwick facing tough must-win test at IC Catholic Prep

Just over halfway through the football season, Fenwick was sitting in a good spot regarding its playoff chances.

The Friars, who were coming off a 5-5 season in 2022, built some momentum in the first five weeks of the season with victories over Oak Park-River Forest, St. Ignatius, St. Francis and Notre Dame.

But the Friars hit a tough wall with a 26-16 loss to Nazareth, then lost to Mount Carmel and DePaul Prep to set up a key road game against IC Catholic Prep (6-2) on Friday.

Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia understands the importance of winning a fifth game on Friday, even if knocking off the Knights on their home field is a tough task.

“IC Catholic is a great team loaded with exceptional players,” Battaglia said. “The focus is on our guys doing their jobs and getting all units of our team playing their best for 48 minutes. We’re confident that when all 11 on the field are doing their job and executing consistently for 48 minutes, we can compete with anyone in the state.”

Battaglia said his team is improving each week, but still has room for growth. The Friars dropped a tough 44-43 decision to DePaul Prep in double overtime last week following a 21-9 defeat to undefeated Mount Carmel.

“We still haven’t played our best football,” he said. “I’m confident it’s right around the corner. Being able to extend the season and give the seniors another chance to compete and potentially earn another home game is something the coaches are tirelessly working for.”

The Friars have relied on numerous contributions to put themselves in line for a potential playoff bid.

Senior running back/linebacker Luke D’Alise is a two-way starter, senior quarterback Marek Hill has built off last season’s showing, while senior wide receiver/defensive back Avion Brown showed some potential in his first year starting at wide receiver.

Battaglia also noted the play of senior defensive back/wide receiver Rowan White, senior linebacker/tight end Dillon Murphy and junior defensive end/wide receiver Nathaniel Marshall.

”Luke is a leader on and off the field and epitomizes everything that’s great about high school football,” he said. “Marek invested countless hours in the offseason to get better and is just scratching the surface of his potential. Avion is a big-time playmaker who’s electric with the ball in his hands and he consistently shows up and gets better every day.

“Rowan got off to a slow start with a hamstring injury, but he never hung his head when he wasn’t getting reps and he continued to work to get back on the field and has started both ways during the second half of the season. Dillon is an overachiever who gives 100%. He’s a team leader with a great motor. Nathaniel is one of the top players in the nation. He’s just scratching the surface of his ability as a football player. He’s a team leader with high character and there isn’t anything he can’t do on a football field. He will be playing major college football in two years.”

Crider running strong

Wheaton Warrenville South senior running back Matt Crider missed a significant chunk of the season due to an injury. Crider suffered a high ankle sprain against Simeon in the season opener, sitting out losses to Lyons and Geneva.

His return has energized the Tigers (4-4, 3-3 DuKane Conference) into Friday’s pivotal game at St. Charles East. The Tigers, who finished 3-6 last season, need a victory to secure a playoff bid.

Crider was the main focus in the Tigers’ offensive game plan against Batavia last week, carrying the ball 18 times for 50 yards and a touchdown in a 28-14 defeat.

“It didn’t take much for me to get back into the game, just a couple of days because it was three weeks, where I was out and I didn’t do too much,” Crider said. “We’re going to work hard this week. Our mindset will be in the right spot. We know we have to get this win.”

At 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds, Crider oozes potential to be a regular contributor in college. The ankle injury hampered his recruiting, Crider said. He put on a dazzling show with 146 yards rushing in a 31-8 win over Lake Park on Oct. 6.

“It’s slow right now, and is not much, but we will see what happens,” Crider said of his recruiting. “It’s tough missing those three games. They were very important. Missing three games in a nine-game season really can hurt. It was a setback, but I will be fine.”

Wheaton Warrenville South coach Sean Norris said Crider has a high upside.

“I think Matt is one of the top running backs in the state,” Norris said. “Early on in the season, having missed those games, really hurt him but it was hard on the team not having him. He’s a special runner. He’s hard to tackle and is so strong and determined and can get downhill with breakaway speed.”

Tidbits

In a possible win-or-go-home weekend for many area teams, the five-win mark usually is an entry into the playoffs. Several teams are sitting on that four-win mark, including Wheaton Warrenville South and Fenwick. Nazareth (4-4) faces a tough task to defend its state title, hosting St. Francis on Friday at 7:30 p.m. Lemont (4-4) has a tough game against 7-1 T.F. North, while Benet (4-4) travels to Providence Catholic (4-4) for a must-win game for both teams.