Wright's right as Fremd rolls
Fremd's Evan Wright had no idea what he was getting into when he first put on the football pads four years ago.
"I only went out for football because a lot of my friends went out for it,"said Wright. "If it worked out, fine, if it didn't, oh well. I never played in anything like a Pop Warner or junior high league."
Things have worked out pretty well indeed for Wright and for Fremd.
Wright scored on touchdown runs of 20, 46, 70, and 17 yards as Fremd KO'd Hoffman Estates 44-10 on the Hawks' senior night at Dennis Garber Stadium on Friday.
"I guess it was just natural ability that I was born with," said Wright. "The linemen do the blocking and I just follow. I'm able to change directions and the coaches tell me to just go. A lot of our success comes preperation."
The win gives the Vikings an 8-0 overall record and a 4-0 mark in the Mid-Subruban West. The victory also gives the Vikings at least a share of the West title for the seventh straight year.
"There have been alot of good teams in the MSL," said Fremd coach Mike Donatucci. "We tell the kids each year, that this (championships) is what you work for."
Wright along with the offensive line of Christian Lombard, Evan Schaeffer, Michael Metzen, Brian Bobek, Michael Rumps, and Jack Knopka contolled the Hawks' defense most of the contest.
"We know we can still get better as a line," said :Lombard. "We've got the tools to compete in the state playoffs."
Wright's first score came with 7:39 left in the first quarter on a 6-play, 47-yard drive.
Wright's second was a 46-yard sprint with 4:56 left in the quarter.
A blocked punt which turned into an automatic safety on the first play of the second quarter gave Fremd a 16-0 lead.
The Hawks (0-8, 0-4) had first-half chances to cut the gap. A mishandled punt gave Hoffman the ball on the Fremd 13, but a fumble at the 3 on fourth downed snuffed out the scoring chance.
A drive to the Viking 19 stalled and Niko Crabes connected on a 42 yard field goal just before halftime.
"We had our chances," said Hawk coach Bill Helzer. "Turnovers (3) and penalties hurt us. We didn't take advantage of our opportunities. As for Wright, he was hard to contain."
Wright rushed for 235 yards on 13 carries and rambled for 70 yards with 26 seconds gone in the third quarter as Fremd took a 23-3 lead.
Tom Carmody's interception then set up Wright's 17-yard run with 5:04 left in the third quarter and a 30-3 lead.
Zach Jaywook grabbed a 21-yard pass from quarterback Richard Concialdi (9-for-14, 120 yards) folowing Justin Wallaces' fumble recovery at the Hawks' 21.
Reserve quarterback Steve Stuzman scored on a 4-yard run to finish the Fremd scoring.
Hoffman quarterback David Gutierrez (22 carries, 182 yds.) scored on a 69-yard run moments later.