Even when you spend a short amount of time around the IC Catholic football team, it becomes obvious that the Knights are promoting a family atmosphere in the program. The players talk about it, and former coaches and players are frequently on the sidelines during games.
The family bond is even stronger for brothers Jimmy and Ryan Kenneally, who are both offensive linemen for the Knights (6-0, 2-0).
IC Catholic’s 45-14 Metro Suburban Blue victory over Riverside-Brookfield (4-2, 1-1) on Friday, Sept. 30, was especially poignant for the pair, because it was the first time they worked on the same side of the line.
Ryan, who is a sophomore, played right guard next to Jimmy, who was at right tackle.
“As a team, we are all brothers and we all know that we have each other’s backs and are going to help each other out,” said Jimmy Kenneally, a senior who also starts at defensive end. “But it is something special when your actual brother gets to line up next to you, and we are always working together. He has done a great job, especially as a sophomore, to step up and do what he does.”
In addition, the Kenneally brothers’ dad, Jim, is the linebackers coach and helps with special teams for IC Catholic. Jim has been coaching there since 2006 and was the defensive coordinator when the Knights won the 2008 Class 2A championship.
“It is awesome, it is really special,” Jimmy Kenneally said. “For a while, he has been coaching, and I have just been waiting my turn to step up and actually get to play under him. It is great way to see him every day, and it is great way to bond with him and my brother.”
While Jimmy’s accomplishments on the football field are impressive, they probably pale in comparison to what he has accomplished in school. He is the school’s student council president, National Honor Society vice president and co-editor of the school newspaper. He was recently named a commended student in the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program.
Those accomplishments might cast a big shadow for Ryan to try and follow, but he does not look at it as a burden.
“I am trying to form my own path,” Ryan said. “I do appreciate everything he has done, and I respect everything he has done. But I am my own person.”
The offensive line, which also includes David Vargas, Ricky Mysliwiec and Robert Vitek, needs to work together in order to gain an advantage. It certainly helps to have the closeness of two siblings as part of that group.
“I would say that (Jimmy and I) are pretty close, but as a whole the team is really close,” Ryan Kenneally said. “Everyone is a bunch of brothers, we all lean on each other; especially up front on the line, where it takes all five of us doing our job to be successful.”
Jimmy Kenneally said he is interested in attending the Naval Academy next year and is also looking at Carnegie Mellon and Pennsylvania. He would like to continue to play football and has talked to the coaching staffs at each of those schools.
While the Kenneally brothers have a solid working relationship on the gridiron, that does not always translate to one-on-one basketball games in the driveway.
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“Sometimes basketball does get pretty heated, considering that we are both football players,” Ryan Kenneally said. “We always just leave it on the court, though, and just come back and eat dinner together.”
Game notes
There was no panic from IC Catholic when the game was tied 14-14 late in the second quarter. Instead, the Knights responded by scoring 31 unanswered points.
“That was really good football team,” IC Catholic coach Bill Krefft said of Riverside-Brookfield. “That was a physical football team … and they were athletic. We knew they were going to be explosive on offense.
“It was a matter of if we could withstand the storm. We are happy we responded like we did.”
The catalyst for the Knights’ strong response was junior quarterback Luke Ricobene. He recovered from three first-quarter sacks to throw five touchdown passes and also ran for a 52-yard score in the third quarter.
“He is unbelievable,” Jimmy Kenneally said. “We just have to give him time and he will make some plays. He makes us (linemen) look a lot better than we are.”
Ricobene threw for 332 yards and connected with six different receivers. He tossed touchdown passes to Matt Sutton (two), Lazerick Eatman, Jordan Rowell and Brendan Russ.
Patrick Kelly is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press