From an underdog upset to rescheduled shutouts, Illinois’ football championships were nothing short of exciting — and not just for the players.
Mount Carmel High School in Chicago’s Woodlawn neighborhood dominated their 8A State Championship game over Oswego Wednesday night. It marks the schools 17th championship and their fourth straight state title.
Brother Rice High School won the 7A State game for the first time since 1981. The team beat St. Rita 16-0 in a match that was rescheduled due to snowy weather over the weekend.
The Fenwick Friar’s Football Team in Oak Park also came out on top in the 6A division against the East St. Louis Flyers.
Fenwick was considered an underdog in Tuesday night’s game, but came out on top in a 38-28 victory.
“Every big game we’ve been the underdog, it’s nothing new. We’ve always believed we were the better team and it showed,” said quarterback Jamen Williams, a senior.
The school held a pep rally Thursday morning to welcome the team home.
“Nothing beats a State Championship,” said senior Michael Murphy. “And all time and that effort you put in in the morning, in the weight room, it all paid off for that one moment.”
It was all smiles in the fieldhouse Thursday from the Friar student body. The band and cheerleading squad helped welcome the players home as bleachers filled with students erupted in cheers.
“It’s a surreal feeling and Friar Nation is great,” said Senior Tommy Thies.
Thies was the ball boy the last time the team won a State Championship in 2021. Now it was his turn to play on the state field.
“Being the ball boy in the state game and seeing the feeling after that game it was something that I always wanted to happen in my career at Fenwick,” he told NBC Chicago. “Having it happen in my senior year is super surreal.”
And he played along side his brother, Jake, who ran for two touchdowns and returned an interception.
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment since I was a little kid,” Jake Thies said. “And with all my brothers we got really close. I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else than these guys on my team.”
Coach Matt Battaglia has been with the team for six seasons, leading them to the program’s only two state showings, winning both of them.
He told NBC Chicago he’s known the players since they were in 6th and 7th grade.
“It’s not so much that you want to win the game, it’s that you don’t want to see these kids let down,” he said.
Williams will graduate high school on a high note after winning the game, but encourages younger student athletes to keep working hard.
“Trust in God, trust in your faith because he always has a plan for you,” he said. “Keep doing the little things.”
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