24
| SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 3 | SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 4 2016
THE NORTH SHORE WEEKEND
SPORTS
ROAMING THE SIDELINES
Fay a true star in New Trier’s win over York BY KEVIN REITERMAN, SPORTS@NORTHSHOREWEEKEND.COM
F
rancis Fay is fanatical about football. A tongue-twister. A truism. The multi-dimensional senior, a three-year starter on both sides of the ball and special teams, arguably played the game of his life in New Trier’s 14-10 victory over host Elmhurst York on Aug. 26. Fay had some extra incentive. “This was it,” he said. “There will be no more Week 1s for me. “I love this game,” Fay added. “It’s something else.” On this night, Fay had himself a day. He. Was. Something. Else. His electric 35-yard touchdown catch late in the third quarter wound up being the difference in the game. But that was only a sampling. The 5-foot-10, 165-pounder with the snazzy two-toned colored shoes — lime green and white — did it all in this 2016 season opener. He did the big things. He did the little things. He basically hogged the spotlight. “Over time, if you give him enough touches, he’s going to do some special things,” said New Trier head coach Brian Doll. Fay won Doll over years ago. “I knew he was special the first day I met him,” the coach said. Offensively, Fay’s numbers from this four-point win don’t jump off the score sheet. He caught three passes for 62 yards. He rushed nine times for 54 yards. “But he got the tough yards when we needed them,” said Doll. “That’s what impressed me. “He’s got a lot of explosiveness,” the coach added. Defensively, his numbers excite. Four of Fay’s team-high nine tackles went for losses, including a 10-yarder early in the fourth quarter. “He makes his best plays on the big downs,” Doll dutifully noted. Fay’s evening also included a 28-yard punt return, which set up New Trier’s first score of the game late in the second quarter. And there’s this. Fay had a couple of plays at cornerback that don’t necessarily show up in the
(7-71). Herion threw a 25-yard strike for the team’s first score of the season with 29 seconds left in the opening quarter. Terrell’s second TD came with 5:05 left in the third quarter, when he caught a 21-yard pass from LA’s other quality QB, Quinn Boyle (2-4-0, 31 yards). Bullie was the workhorse running back for the Ramblers. Notable: This was career win No. He averaged 8.4 yards per carry: 20 for New Trier quarterback 16 rushes, 134 yards. He had a Clay Czyzynski, a three-year five-yard TD run with 5:51 left starter. He didn’t have a good in the second period. start. But he looked like the “Old Kyle Rock also contributed. Clay” on his 24-yard touchdown The senior back ran the ball 11 run with 3:58 left in the second times for 55 yards. He scored quarter. On a QB keeper on 2nd- from a yard out with 8:47 remainand-9, he started up the middle, ing in the third quarter. cut to the right side of the end Noah Jones is another player zone and ran in standing up. to watch. He had three receptions With his arm, Czyzynski com- for 32 yards. pleted 5 of 13 passes for 102 yards, including that 35-yard TD Lake Forest 30, Glenbard East 6 to Francis Fay. … New Trier’s Charlie in charge. starting offensive line featured Highlighted by senior quarLiam Hirsch, Joey Artinian, terback Charlie Reinkemeyer’s Marcel Bauby, Nick Artinian and big outing, Lake Forest opened Will Gao. Chris Bisceglia saw a the 2016 campaign with a conlot of action in the second half. vincing 30-6 triumph over host … Fay (9 tackles, 4 for losses), Glenbard East on Aug. 26. Chris Notari (6 tackles, 5-yard Reinkemeyer (9-16-0, 211 QB sack, 8-yard tackle-for-loss, yards) threw a pair of first-quarfumble recovery), Eric Nicholas ter touchdown passes. The TDs (4 tackles, interception), Max were sparkling. He went to Rosenthal (5 tackles, 9-yard QB sophomore Ryan Cekay on the sack), Scott McCabe (5 tackles, first one (63 yards). He followed 1 TFL), Blake Field (3 tackles, 1 that up with a 58-yarder to Reed TFL), Daniel Anderson (6 Thomas. tackles), Jake Lowell (5 tackles) Reinkemeyer also ended up as and Max Bryla (5 tackles) were LF’s leading rusher: 7 carries, 36 NT’s defensive leaders. yards. He reached the end zone from 11 yards out in the second quarter. Loyola 36, Marquette 7 Meet Loyola Academy’s new Thomas was the team’s top playmakers. receiver: 3 catches, 88 yards. Quarterback Tommy Herion, On the defensive end, the running back Hamid Bullie and Scouts got a big play from Chris New Trier’s Francis Fay, seen here in action last season, was one of the game-changers in the team’s wide receivers David Terrell and Cavalaris. The junior defensive season-opening win at York. PHOTOGRAPHY BY JON DURR Jack Moran. back scored on a 22-yard interHang a star on it. Freeman didn’t flag on the ground was a letdown. That foursome stood out in ception return in the third quarter scorebook. On York’s second drive of the know what hit him. But I knew our defense could LA’s 36-7 season-opening victory to make it 27-6. game, Fay made a potential TD “Francis had some monstrous hold.” over host Milwaukee Marquette LF’s tackle leaders were Jon It held. on Aug. 26. saving tackle against Chris hits tonight,” said Doll. “He plays Deering (12), Gabe Funk (8), On the final play of the game McCoy. The slant went for 37 the game fearlessly.” The reigning Class 8A state Andrew Athenson (5), Sam But not everything went per- — ball at the New Trier 36 and champs, 14-0 in 2015, finished Yauch (4), Brendan Eckland (4) yards. It could’ve went to the house. Five players later, NT’s fectly for Fay. On the final series :05 on the clock — York quar- the contest with 213 rushing and Bryan Ooms (4). Eckland, Eric Nicholas ended the drive by of the game — with York on the terback Charles Pakenas rolled yards and 211 passing yards. Funk and Cal Wonham recorded Herion completed his varsity quarterback sacks. Eckland, intercepting a pass at the NT move — he was called for pass out to his right only to have all debut by connecting on 17 of 28 Ooms, Connor Reilly and Liam three-yard line. interference against the speedy his receivers covered. On York’s first series in the Freeman. Just as Pakenas released the passes for 180 yards. He threw Pooler came up with tackles for fourth quarter, Fay might’ve “I’ve always been taught to be ball he was hit by New Trier de- one interception, while he also loss. made the hit of the night on an physical,” said Fay. “That clearly fensive lineman Kevin Conaghan. scored on a one-yard run. Jack Brush capped the scoring His main targets were Terrell with a 22-yard field goal in the incomplete pass to Dukes star didn’t help me on that play.” Incomplete pass. Game over. Keith Freeman in the left flat. And, he added: “Seeing that Moments later, you saw Fay (4 catches, 73 yards) and Moran fourth quarter. racing to the visitors’ stands and slapping hands with a long row of New Trier fans. He didn’t break stride. He was the first Trevian to return to the field for the postgame huddle. And what’s that say? Isn’t it obvious? Francis Fay is fanatical about football.