DeFabo: Marengo fans show up to celebrate season to remember

CHICAGO — Friday morning, Marengo quarterback Zach Knobloch and about 15 of his teammates were in Sullivan’s when a gentleman approached. They hadn’t seen him before. Didn’t know him, really.

Oh, but he knew them. He had been following their undefeated run through the regular season, their first playoff appearance since 2004 and their first postseason victory since 1997.

He apologized. He couldn’t make it to the Class 4A semifinal playoff game Saturday. So he did the next best thing — bought them all donuts. Drake Stavroplos picked a vanilla cake donut with sprinkles.

They never did get his name.

“He just said he couldn’t make it to the game,” Knobloch said. “So he did that instead.”

Saturday, the sweet-toothed Samaritan was one of the few who didn’t make the trek. Eleven buses — two team buses, a community bus and eight fan buses — drove 75 miles south on Interstate 90 to Gately Stadium in South Chicago.

They flooded out of the buses, clanging cowbells and clapping hands. Roughly 340 bought pre-sale tickets. Plenty more drove down and bundled up. The first snowfall of the season couldn’t deter them.

The Marengo fans nearly filled the visitors’ bleachers, significantly outnumbering the Phillips fans. The Wildcats might have had more to cheer about in a 47-13 victory. But Marengo fans surely cheered the loudest.

“To have our fans come here, it’s amazing,” Marengo coach Matt Lynch said. “The support has been tremendous and it’s been about family and unity and togetherness. We thank them and we truly appreciate all that they’ve done and given to us.”

If the town streets and the park benches could talk, they would say the same thing. Thank you.

In the span of a few seasons, the Indians (12-1) went from a team that went 0-27 from 2005 to 2007 to a team that scored 40 points per game. A team with a tough, hard-nosed defense. A Big Northern Conference East Division champ. A state semifinalist. One of the best four teams in Class 4A.

“This team will go down as one of the best teams to go through the school,” Athletic Director Chad Olson said.

There’s a special bond between small towns and their football teams. This week, Stavroplos drove down Main Street, looking at all of the painted storefront windows.

“I honestly got a little emotional in my car,” he said. “It was a great thing.”

As the final seconds ticked off the clock Saturday, the Indians fans rose to their feet, clanging those cowbells and clapping with frozen hands.

“They were up on their feet yelling louder than their fans, even though (Phillips) is going to state,” Knobloch said. “It’s just great to feel that support.”

The Indians fell one game short of making it to state. Losses sting. But there was just one of those this year. When the town wakes up and has its morning coffee and donuts, there will be plenty of good to remember from the other 12.

• Northwest Herald sports reporter Mike DeFabo can be reached at mdefabo@shawmedia.com or on Twitter @MikeDeFabo.