NORMAL, Illinois, Dec. 2 — The East St. Louis [IL] Flyers saw their dreams of another Illinois IHSA Class 6A state championship end Tuesday night in a stunning 38-28 loss to the Fenwick [Oak Park, IL] Friars.
The game was originally scheduled to be played Saturday after a snowstorm struck the Illinois State University campus over the weekend. Instead, the game was moved to Tuesday night, and it was expected to be a quick coronation of the Flyers putting the wraps on a second consecutive run to the Class 6A state title.
Instead, an actual game broke out between the Flyers and Friars, and the boys from Oak Park were unrelenting in their pursuit of their school's second state championship in football. They set the tone early, forcing a quick three-and-out on defense to start the game, and then took over on the East St. Louis 4-yard line after an errant punt snap by the Flyers. Just one offensive play into the game, they were up 6-0, and they refused to bend to the Flyers' will any time they were challenged.
It's certainly one of the more surprising results in Illinois state championship history, and it will hang over the offseason as East St. Louis looks to retool and maintain their status as, arguably, the state's top football program.
Fenwick, on the other hand, will celebrate a title that nobody outside of Oak Park in the Land of Lincoln could have seen coming.
WATCH ON THE NFHS NETWORK: SN NEXT No. 6 East St. Louis [IL] Flyers vs. Fenwick [Oak Park, IL] Friars
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FINAL — Fenwick 38, East St. Louis 28
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|| FOURTH QUARTER ||
This has been a very opportunistic Fenwick squad, and one play after the interception return, Jamen Williams carries it in from 4 yards out on a quarterback keeper. Suddenly, the Friars are up two scores with just over two minutes to play.
4TH QTR — Fenwick 38, East St. Louis 28
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Jake Thies has been making plays all over the field tonight, and on East St. Louis's first play after the field goal, he picks off his fifth pass of the season and returns it 41 yards to the Flyers' 4-yard line. Fenwick is on the verge of a major upset.
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Noah Sur nails a 31-yard field goal, and Fenwick goes up by a field goal with 2:45 to play.
4TH QTR — Fenwick 31, East St. Louis 28
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Ahmad Coleman carries it in for the Flyers, and we're even again.
4TH QTR — East St. Louis 28, Fenwick 28
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|| THIRD QUARTER ||
END OF 3RD QTR — Fenwick 28, East St. Louis 21
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Fenwick just refuses to wilt. Jake Thies breaks into the open, and 74 yards later, he's in the end zone as we approach the end of the third quarter.
3RD QTR — Fenwick 28, East St. Louis 21
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Well, credit East St. Louis for not getting frustrated and sticking to the game plan. They drive 80 yards down the field in 15 plays, and Johnson-Cook carries it in from 4 yards to cut it to two points. Then Ronnie Gomiller hauls in the 2-point conversion pass, and just like that, we're all tied up.
3RD QTR — East St. Louis 21, Fenwick 21
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Fenwick continues to put the pressure on this East St. Louis team that was expected to dominate. This time it's Raphiel Stewart hauling in a 15-yard touchdown reception to extend Fenwick's lead to 8 points.
3RD QTR — Fenwick 21, East St. Louis 13
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|| SECOND QUARTER ||
HALFTIME — Fenwick 14, East St. Louis 13
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Fenwick has brought plenty of fight to East St. Louis tonight. They pick off a Flyers' pass and return it nearly 50 yards. Jamen Williams then finds Cameron Garrett for a 37-yard scoring play, and suddenly, the Friars are back in the lead.
2ND QTR —Fenwick 14, East St. Louis 13
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This game has settled into a bit of a stalemate as we enter the final three minutes of the second quarter. East St. Louis approaching the red zone, however.
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|| FIRST QUARTER ||
END OF 1ST QTR — East St. Louis 13, Fenwick 7
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Amir Tillman gets through the line and makes a move in space to get to the open field. It's a 55-yard touchdown run, and just like that, the Flyers are in the lead.
1ST QTR — East St. Louis 13, Fenwick 7
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On their third possession, East St. Louis finally puts together a successful drive. Myson Johnson-Cook does the honors from a yard out, but the PAT is no good.
1ST QTR — Fenwick 7, East St. Louis 6
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East St. Louis forces Fenwick to punt, and then the Flyers' bobble the punt. They ended up covering it, but the Flyers definitely appear to be struggling securing the ball in these cold temps. I'm sure it's like trying to catch a rock right now, but they'll have to clean that up.
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Fenwick gets another stop on defense, and East St. Louis has another bobble snap on the punt. Ultimately, they got the punt away, but that's two rough plays in the punting games. Definitely something to keep an eye on in this one. Fenwick's defense has definitely come to play early on.
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Jake Thies carries it from 4 yards out so this one is off to an unexpected start as the underdog Friars jump on the heavily-favored Flyers with stellar play on defense, special teams, and offense. We haven't even played two minutes, yet.
1ST QTR — Fenwick 7, East St. Louis 0
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Fenwick forces a three-and-out on defense. The punt snap sails over the head of the Flyers' punter, and Fenwick tackles him on the East St. Louis 4-yard line.
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They're under way in Normal, Illinois! It's a bone-chilling 21 degrees tonight.
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Coming soon!
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