Replacing all 11 starters from last season’s state runner-up squad, the Br. Rice offense would be a work in progress through the early weeks of the year.

For new starting quarterback Ben Somers, a Week-3 loss to Providence Catholic was especially rough, as the junior threw 4 interceptions in a Crusaders loss.

However, he wasn’t going to let one bad performance keep him down.

Throwing for 2 touchdowns, Somers helped lead host Br. Rice to a 17-14 victory on Sept. 20 over rival Marist in a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference-Blue victory in the annual Battle of Pulaski.

“It was a really nice win, especially coming off last week. That was a heartbreaker,” Somers said. “The whole week, you watch film and learn from mistakes. Winning our first conference game against a Marist team with a lot of kids I know and them hitting me, that win felt pretty good.”

Somers (Mt. Greenwood, St. Christina) finished 11 for 20 for 162 yards, 2 touchdowns and an interception, and he rushed for 54 yards as Br. Rice improved to 3-1, 1-0.