Fenwick escapes with win over St Laurence

Updated: September 24, 2011 12:03AM

It was just one win--and there were plenty of mistakes--but Fenwick’s 14-7 victory over Catholic League White rival St. Laurence Friday night in Burbank was celebrated like it was a championship.

The win snaps a three-game losing streak for Fenwick and gives Scott Thies, who replaced Joe DiCanio after week three, his first win as head coach.

“I’m more happy for our seniors than anyone else,” Thies said.

Using a Wildcat offense installed in practice this week, Fenwick turned the ball over five times.

Interchanging three quarterbacks, the Friars relied primarily on the legs of Jack Stibich, who rushed the ball 20 times for 151 yards and a touchdown.

“Jack Stibich was an absolute force,” Thies said. “When things got tough we just gave him the ball.”

The Vikings (2-3, 0-1) drove deep in Fenwick territory late in the game, but the drive ended when Joe Kelly intercepted an Alex Flisk pass in the end zone with 2:24 left in the game.

Fenwick (2-3, 1-1) ran the clock out with six running plays, five of which were by Stibich.

“Our team’s confidence is up after losing three games in a row,” Stibich said. “We definitely needed it.”

Last week against Bishop McNamara it took until the fourth quarter for the Friars to score. Against the Vikings, Fenwick went up 7-0 with 27 seconds left in the first half on a 26-yard pass from Dan Lattner to John O’Malley.

The Friars benefited from three Vikings turnovers in the first half, including a lost fumble in the Fenwick end zone on the games’ opening drive.

On the second play from scrimmage in the second half Stibich put Fenwick ahead 14-0 when he broke free for a 51-yard scoring run.

St. Laurence cut the deficit to 14-7 on a one-yard quarterback sneak by Flisk with 3:36 left in the third quarter. The Vikings started the drive in Fenwick territory thanks to a fumble by the Friars.

Fenwick will remain on the road next week, facing Gordon Tech on Oct. 1. Stibich knows there is not a lot of room for error the rest of the way.

“We just want to make the playoffs,” he said.

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