Saturday, Nov. 27, 2010
12:07 AM
By Clyde Travis
YourSeason.com
There are just a few things that are constants in the world today; death, taxes, and Catholic league defense. Fenwick used a whole lot of defense and just enough offense to shut down Curie 6-0 and capture the 77th Annual Prep Bowl Friday, at Soldier Field.
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The teams played even in the first half and left the field at half time with the score knotted at 0.
Curie opened the second half with a 62-yard kick off return to the 20 of Fenwick and appeared poised to take the lead. But the Friars trumped the kick off return with an 85-yard interception return on Curies first play from scrimmage by Ricky Sorrentino.
The play was set up by a bone crushing hit by defensive tackle Steven Sreniawski on quarterback Reese Fleming.
When I saw that kill shot on the quarterback, I saw the ball, I caught the ball, and ran as fast as I could, said Sorrentino.
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Fenwicks defense was the story all day as they never allowed Curies high-powered offense to get going, stopping them in the red zone five times and knocking Fleming out of the game on two occasions.
But the Condors squandered several other opportunities as they had a touchdown called back and a long punt return nullified on costly penalties. But the big one came with 2:48 remaining in the third quarter on a sure 13-yard touchdown pass to a wide open receiver that was dropped with no Fenwick player within five yards.
We play in the best conference in the state, the best conference in America and it only prepares you for games like this, said Sorrentino.
Fleming and his brother, running back Kevonta McIntyre, did their best to keep the Condors in the game and were the focal point of the Friar defense despite McIntyre rushing 25 times for 104 yards and Fleming going 11 of 15 for 131 yards.
But the two big hits on Fleming took its toll. Those hits really limited his mobility, said Curie coach Tyson LeBlanc. He accounted for almost over 3,000 yards of total offense. But it cut down our options after he got hurt.
Fenwick gained 140 yards on the ground with Jack Stibich gaining 71 yards on four carries with 46 coming on one play.
They had 14 yards in the air for a total of 150 yards total offense to Curies 255 yards.
Fenwicks defense was led by defensive tackles Sreniawski with 11 tackles, Glen Somers with nine tackles, and Stibich with nine.
Im very proud of these kids; they knew what we had to do, stop the quarterback and the running back. And thats what they did, it was a great defensive effort and our offense got the key first downs in the fourth quarter that sealed the victory. Said Fenwick coach Joe DiCanio.