[Preview of this week’s article in the Inside—Booster]
By Jack Lydon
The DePaul Prep Rams defeated Benet Academy 35-6 Friday evening at DePaul Prep. The Rams (3-6, 2-1) finished their post-state championship season on a high note with the convincing win over CCL/ESCC Purple opponent and budding rival, Benet Academy from Lisle, Illinois.
The lopsided final score obscures what was a defensive struggle for almost all of the first half. The Rams broke the scoreless tie with only 1:16 left in the first half.
“We talked on the sideline. We had been hitting a lot of bubble [screen passes] . . .. So we ran a fake bubble and hit [senior wide receiver] Connor [Barefield] a seam route,” said Rams junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski.
“Jackson did a great job. If he didn't put that sip on the pass, Connor was gonna get lit up. But he put the ball right on the money,” DePaul Prep head coach Mike Passarella said of Grabinski’s touchdown pass to Barefield.
The Rams added a two-point conversion on a pass to junior defensive end Hunter Wahtola to make the score 8-0 at the half. The Rams were two for two on two-point conversions on the season.
That was as close as Benet would get. It was all Rams in the second half.
“We were able to just kind of muscle them up front. So we controlled the run game quite a bit,” said Passarella. The Rams would add four touchdowns giving up a score late in the fourth after the second teams for both teams had come in.
The Rams final two touchdowns of the season were poignant. Two close friends seniors Matt Osterman and Luke Flom each scored. Osterman, a gifted wide receiver who will play college football, got as wide open as this reporter has ever seen on a deep post route. The ball took what seems like a hour to come down in stride to Osterman who gathered it in and continued to the endzone for touchdown late in the third quarter.
“It was hard work and dedication in the off season, crisping up routes and a good quarterback to throw the ball,” said Osterman, downplaying a great route, catch and run for a score—a highlight to put an end to his high school career.
The touchdown by Luke Flom was also a career highlight. Coming not long after Osterman’s masterpiece, senior linebacker/safety and all-around defensive contributor, Luke Flom went into the game on offense as halfback.
“I played running back freshman and sophomore years. I told coach, ‘come on, let me get in there.’ He let me do it. I scored on the first play, so it was fun,” Flom said.
Even so, Flom was emotional after the game.
“I have always loved it here. These boys are all my boys and I'm gonna miss this,” Flom said.
“It was rough start to the season. The first couple plays in the first game, I dislocated my finger. I was out two weeks. I came back and got a concussion. Really bumpy season, but I think we ended on a good note,” Flom said with a hint of satisfaction.
Despite the 3-6 record and missing the playoffs, Passarella was upbeat about the Rams future.
“There's a very, very bright future. We’ve been comfortable bringing up sophomores to play on varsity. So we're excited for that. We're going to have some additional depth next year,” Passarella said.
Another fun fact about next season is that DePaul Prep will play immediate neighbor Lane Tech in football in the second week for at least the next two years, reprising the neighborhood rivalry from the old days of the Gordon Tech v. Lane Tech games dating back decades. Should be fun.
