After his team’s 41-0 loss to New Trier on Friday in Northfield, Niles North football coach Mike Garoppolo talked repeatedly, to his team and the media, about focusing on Niles West.
The Vikings will host the rival Wolves in next week’s homecoming game, but it’s a Central Suburban South game that once seemed in doubt when District 219 officials announced on Sept. 25 that the Niles North varsity football team was suspended after reports of “a possible hazing incident.”
Niles North (2-5, 0-3) forfeited its Sept. 28 game against Maine South before the program was reinstated on Oct. 2 after school authorities announced that a thorough investigation by school officials and police determined no criminal conduct had taken place.
“Always good to be on the football field, getting better as a team and improving,” Garoppolo said. “Guys have been playing hard all season, and we look forward to playing Niles West next week.”
Added Garoppolo: “It’s homecoming (next week), rivalry game, the guys are jacked and ready to go to work. We’re ready for Niles West.”
Despite the lopsided score on Friday, junior running back/defensive back Myles Davis said he was glad to be back on the field.
“It feels good to play with my team again,” Davis said after postgame handshakes with New Trier players. “It’s all up to God. God chose this, that’s what the outcome was.”
Davis added: “We’re going to bounce back.”
A Vikings assistant coach said no additional players would comment.
In his postgame speech, Garoppolo talked to the players about appreciating their final few weeks together. He later repeated those comments to the media.
“High school sports go by fast. These guys have to embrace every opportunity they’ve got because it’s going to be over before they know it,” Garoppolo said. “They’ll be in the real world (someday) going to college, working their jobs, so they have to really embrace these last two weeks.”
New Trier coach Brian Doll said he told Garoppolo to remain positive when the two spoke briefly during the postgame handshake.
“I think (Garoppolo) has been through a lot. They’ve had a rough week and a half. They’re dealing with those things,” Doll said. “My message to him was just, ‘Keep fighting through the end of the season. Enjoy the rest of the season.'”
Doll said New Trier (5-2, 3-0) got confirmation on Monday afternoon that Niles North would play in Friday’s game, which was homecoming for the Trevians.
“It was a little tricky (last) weekend not having (the prior week’s) film to prepare for them, not knowing if they were going to play,” Doll said. “We kept telling our kids, ‘We have to plan like we’re playing them.'”
New Trier was already up a touchdown when junior Jonathan Taylor blocked a punt by Niles North senior Nick Mihalic, who has committed to Western Michigan, and it was recovered by the Trevians at the Niles North 10-yard line. Two plays later, Trevians junior quarterback Carson Ochsenhirt scored from the 2-yard line.
The Trevians went up 21-0 after junior Donovan Perkins returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown in the final minute of the first quarter.
“That was a rough game, but we’re on to Niles West this week,” Garoppolo said.
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Among the highlights for Niles North was a 28-yard completion from senior quarterback Nick Mathee to senior receiver Tyson Carson Coles. Junior Tremaine Conner replaced Mathee at quarterback midway through the third quarter, and he soon had a 37-yard run in which he rolled out in one direction, circled back behind the line of scrimmage and eventually raced down the opposite sideline.
Dan Shalin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
