By Zach Mikrut ‘25
On Friday, Oct. 11, the Brother Rice football team played its homecoming game against Notre Dame of Niles, Illinois. The Crusaders were firing on all cylinders in this one, dominating the Dons 42-7.
Senior captain Conner Stack was one of the key players in the game. Although Stack’s primary position on defense is safety, he scored two touchdowns—one on special teams and one on offense. His special teams touchdown came from a blocked punt in the first quarter, while his offensive touchdown was a rushing score in the fourth quarter.
“It’s an amazing feeling to get this win in our senior homecoming game,” Stack said. “My teammates and I have been working hard each day in practice this season. Getting a team win like this is incredible because it shows all of our hard work paying off. Obviously, we have our sights set on a deep playoff run but taking these games one at a time is what will help us in the long run.”
This game was the definition of a team win. Everyone played phenomenally under the lights last Friday. However, this game was a special one for senior linebacker Gavin Arnold. Arnold suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury, or torn ACL, during the annual “Maroon and Orange” game. Athletes with torn ACLs are typically out for almost a year, but Arnold miraculously returned in just seven weeks.
Arnold said, “Just putting the helmet and pads on again meant everything to me. I’ve spent so much time doing physical therapy these past couple of weeks, and getting a Friday night homecoming win made all my time well spent.”
With the regular season coming to an end and the playoffs right around the corner, the Crusaders are looking as prepared as ever for the postseason.
Senior Crusader Crazy J.D. Maloney said, “The Crusaders are getting hot at the right time. After a huge win over Mt. Carmel and a dominant performance against Notre Dame, the sky’s the limit for this team.”
