Nazareth’s Ethan Enriquez runs past Marist’s Jamel Howard in a game Sept. 9 in LaGrange Park. Marist rolled, 31-3. Photo by Steve Metsch
Football: Balanced attack leads Marist over Nazareth
By Steve Metsch
Correspondent
After being blown out by 28 points on their home field, one might think the Nazareth coach Tim Racki would be frustrated.
Not exactly.
Racki was pleased by the Roadrunners’ refusal to back down despite trailing Marist 24-3 at halftime in their Week 3 game Sept. 9. Nazareth held the RedHawks to seven points in the second half in a 31-3 loss.
“They’ve got a lot of great football players on that team,” Racki said. “You can say, ‘Oh, boy, we got killed tonight.’ Or, you can say ‘It’s a loss. It’s the first third of the season.’
“I saw growth tonight that will help us. We’re a young team, but you grow up fast in this conference.”
Nazareth fell to 1-2. Marist is 2-1.
RedHawks coach Ron Dawczak was not entirely pleased with his team’s performance. He told his team afterward they need to play a full with the same urgency for all 48 minutes.
“We got sloppy in the second half, but I’m proud of the way they came together, refocused, came on strong.” Dawczak said. “We’ll enjoy this one for 24 hours, then move on to next week.”
Marist plays at Mount Carmel at 7:30 p.m. Friday in a battle of Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference heavyweights in the Blue division opener for both teams.
Nazareth hosts Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. Sept. 16.
A balanced attack fueled the RedHawks offense. Four players scored touchdowns, and Marist had 222 yards passing and 125 yards on the ground.
RedHawks senior quarterback Dermot Smyth opened the scoring when he zipped a TD pass 19 yards to senior tight end Scottie Rybak at 9:35 of the first quarter.
They followed that on their next possession with a 5-yard touchdown run by senior running back Chris Lofgren.
An interception by senior defensive back Jake Stefanos on the Roadrunners’ next play from scrimmage put Marist at the host’s 43-yard line. Seven plays later, junior Kamil Kokot kicked a 29-yard field goal for 17-0 lead.
A 10-yard touchdown run by junior Marc Coy made it 24-0 with 1:43 left in the first half.
“We spread the ball around a lot,” Coy said of the RedHawks.
The Roadrunners moved from own 11-yard line to Marist’s 9-yard line in just 1:36 on their ensuing possession, and Zach Hayes kicked a 26-yard field goal as time expired in the first half.
Marist closed the scoring at 6:38 left in the fourth quarter with an impressive run after catch by Mike Donegan. The senior wide receiver caught a pass from Smyth about 10 yards from the line of scrimmage, then wriggled away and raced past several Nazareth defenders for 46-yard touchdown.
“They got the win, but in the long run I think we’ll be good,” said Nazareth sophomore quarterback Logan Malachuk, who finished 17 of 34 for 216 yards.
Nazareth freshman Jake Cestone caught five passes for a team-best 88 yards.
Local News
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Palos Heights recognizes volunteers
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights handed out awards last week recognizing the services provided by volunteers through the years. The proclamations, which were read aloud during the city council meeting April 16, were a testament to the city’s volunteers and were handed out as part of Volunteer Recognition Week. Volunteers were cited for…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…
Gaming licenses to be tougher to get in Orland Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of…
Palos Park passes $16 million budget
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The Palos Park Village Council approved the 2024-25 budget, which totals a little more than $16.3 million at the April 22 village council meeting. According to village documents, it represented an increase of a shade over $603,000 from last year. The village is expecting $13.4 million in revenue and $1.86…
Fire damages Al Bahaar Restaurant in Orland Park
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Orland Fire Protection District firefighters responded to a fire Monday evening at the Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Dr. At first, restaurant owners suspected the fire alarm was triggered by a malfunction, but as firefighters inspected the restaurant to reset the fire alarm, they detected a burning smell. “What…
Neighbors
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…
Prairie Band Potawatomi becomes 1st federally recognized tribe in Illinois
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Nearly 200 years after Native Americans were forced out of Illinois, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has become the first federally recognized tribal nation in the state after a decision from the U.S. Department of the Interior last week. The move represents the first victory in the tribe’s…
Remembering Lee Milner
NEWS TEAM Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com On Wednesday, April 17, the Springfield, Illinois Capitol and journalism communities lost a devoted friend and advocate when Lee Milner passed away. As Dean Olsen wrote in his piece in the Illinois Times earlier this month, “Readers of Illinois Times often have seen Milner’s work as a freelance photojournalist. But…
Capitol Briefs: Expansion of postpartum coverage, ban on kangaroos among hundreds of measures to pass House
By ALEX ABBEDUTO & COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – Illinois kangaroo owners are one step closer to being forced to surrender their marsupials this week after the House passed a bill criminalizing their possession. That was one of more than 300 bills to pass the House ahead of a Friday procedural deadline.…
Pritzker says state ‘obviously’ needs to change 2010 law that shrunk pension benefits
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com With a month-and-a-half left in the General Assembly’s spring session, Gov. JB Pritzker’s administration is readying its proposal to address Illinois’ chronically underfunded pension system. But the governor this week also acknowledged in the strongest terms yet that any plans to finally get the state on track toward…