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Offense powered by chicken wings
Elmwood Park's Connor Murphy, center, in pre-season practice on Monday, Aug. 13, 2012 in Elmwood Park. | Rob Hart~Sun-Times Media
Names in the Game
Trent Woods Noteworthy efforts:
Woods made two interceptions against Fenton on Friday and intercepted a two-point conversion attempt. While Woods’ interceptions are his most eye-catching statistic from Elmwood Park’s 24-20 victory, the junior also had a solid all-around game. Woods broke up a pass and registered eight tackles against the Bison, including two tackles for losses. Woods was one of four players to make an interception against Fenton, which was an important reason why the Tigers clinched a playoff berth by improving to 6-2 this season.
Jessica Grabowski Noteworthy efforts:
Grabowski won her first match at Friday and Saturday’s York tennis sectional to advance to the tournament’s quarterfinals. Grabowski was the team’s No. 1 singles player throughout the year, something which benefited her against tough competition at sectionals. Elmwood Park accumulated eight points to finish fourth out of 10 teams at sectionals, but could not advance anybody to state.
Article Extras
Updated: November 19, 2012 1:54PM
ELMWOOD PARK — Their leader has worn bright pink high-top cleats since the third game of the season and the other four linemen follow his lead to a chicken wing eatery whenever hunger pangs strike.
They are more than teammates, and together they have helped create something seldom seen in Elmwood Park — a winning record.
They rarely receive the accolades bestowed upon the players in the skill positions, but to a man, the Tigers know they wouldn’t have qualified for their first postseason appearance in more than 20 years without the work of its offensive line.
Seniors Rey Morales (6-foot-1, 290 pound, left tackle), Connor Murphy (6-3, 290, right tackle) and Jonathan Batula 6-2, 250 center), and juniors Giuseppe Camaci (5-9, 190, left guard) and Tim Hagen (6-2, 172, right guard) are big — huge — reasons why the Tigers compiled a 5-2 record with a backfield that averaged nearly 180 yards rushing in its first seven games. That number rose even higher after Elmwood Park chewed up 228 yards on the ground in Friday’s 24-20 win over Fenton.
The five have become close friends and admit to having the time of their lives on and off the field while enjoying this season of success.
“We’re always together every day, all day,” Batula said. “Before school, after school, during practice — we’re all good friends and even more like brothers, pretty much. We talk a lot about blocking techniques and what we can do better to open up holes for our backs.”
What makes it harder is everyone knows what the Tigers will do when they have the ball, Morales said.
“Every team in our conference knows we run the ball and that makes us hungrier to block and push it down their throats even more,” he said. “I think our success comes from being disciplined and just buying into the program and the blocking schemes.”
Hagen thinks rapport among the linemen helps fine-tune their effort.
“If a blitz is coming, for example, we’ve got to let our teammates know that. Since we all are so close we don’t have a problem with communicating and I think that’s a big reason for our success. And, it’s all about teamwork.”
Camaci said the quintet isn’t worried about hurting someone’s feelings when things aren’t going right.
“Sometimes in the huddle we get on each other, but that helps us click, I think,” Camaci said. “We point out what someone else is doing wrong and they tend to be more determined than ever to correct that mistake.”
“We yell at each other a lot, but then move on to the next play,” Murphy said. “We’re all business out there on the field. We all know the program and the plays so much we know who messed up and we tell them. Then on the next play they usually correct it and drive the offensive lineman down the field. ... (W)e always try to make the holes big enough for them to run through no matter who is carrying the ball.”
Elmwood Park coach Luis Arroyo said he is amazed at the way the offensive line continues to open holes. The replacements for injured running backs Rocco Fanella, David Benavidez and Carlos Sandoval haven’t missed a beat.
“These (three running backs) have not been completely healthy all year long,” he said. “One guy goes down, the next guy goes in, then he goes down, but we never panicked, never got nervous because every time we sent the next guy in he did the job. You have to give a lot of credit to our offensive line. They’ve put some much time and effort, hard work, commitment and sacrifice to get to where they are today.”
The Tigers line spends a lot of time together off the field, including three or four trips a week to WingStop to talk football and indulge in plenty of chicken wings and fries.
The “little” guys, Camaci and Hagen, said they consume only about 15 to 20 wings a sitting along with a large bag of fries, but their appetites are overshadowed by their bigger teammates.
“I probably eat 30 wings every time I go,” said Morales, who has been wearing size 13 hot pink high tops for weak ankles since Week 3 because they were the only shoes that fit. “They probably should come up with an unlimited wing special just for me.”
“All I know is that when we are finished, there are mounds of chicken wing bones on our table,” Murphy said.
Arroyo calls Murphy and Morales students of the game who molded the O-line.
“They really understand line play and this goes back to when they were freshmen,” Arroyo said. “And, they’re big. They are both almost 6-2 and almost 300 pounds and they’ve been getting some looks from colleges. The smaller guards are great for our pull offense and when they all pull together, that’s 700-800 pounds of line coming straight at you.
“If our opponent doesn’t have the weight, the strength or the size, they’re going to knock you back. If they match up, we are going to wear them down. We can’t win without the big three and the fast kids (Camaci and Hagen) on our offensive line.”
Names in the Game
Trent Woods Noteworthy efforts:
Woods made two interceptions against Fenton on Friday and intercepted a two-point conversion attempt. While Woods’ interceptions are his most eye-catching statistic from Elmwood Park’s 24-20 victory, the junior also had a solid all-around game. Woods broke up a pass and registered eight tackles against the Bison, including two tackles for losses. Woods was one of four players to make an interception against Fenton, which was an important reason why the Tigers clinched a playoff berth by improving to 6-2 this season.
Jessica Grabowski Noteworthy efforts:
Grabowski won her first match at Friday and Saturday’s York tennis sectional to advance to the tournament’s quarterfinals. Grabowski was the team’s No. 1 singles player throughout the year, something which benefited her against tough competition at sectionals. Elmwood Park accumulated eight points to finish fourth out of 10 teams at sectionals, but could not advance anybody to state.
Quick Hits
Big Numbers
30 | How many of Elmwood Park’s 33 cross country runners ran personal bests at Saturday’s Metro Suburban meet. The boys team finished fifth (126 points), behind Glenbard South (28), Illiana Christian (32), Fenton (72) and Riverside-Brookfield (72). Ricky Wojcik (16:08) earned all-conference honors with a 13th-place finish. Rocco Lepore (24th, 17:14), Lucas Kieffer (25th, 17:15), Matt Walker (31st, 17:43) and Austin Tillema (33rd, 17:51) all turned in quality races.
Sound Bites
“I am pleased to say that our record is already better from last year. When we (played) the Guerin tournament we were on a roll. We came in third, but we fought for the two games we lost. (Elmwood Park) was neck and neck. The team has become closer and we work together as a unit. As we always say before, during, and after the game: ‘Heart. Team.’ I can personally say we have heart to play the game and we are a team from start to finish no matter what happens.”
— Senior volleyball player Lynette Betancourt, on what has carried the Elmwood Park volleyball team throughout the season.
Don’t Miss
Saturday Cross Country: Elmwood Park at Elmwood Park Regional, 9 a.m.
Monday Volleyball: vs. Timothy Christian, at Immaculate Conception Regional, 7 p.m.
