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  "path": "/high-school-sports/2026/04/10/old-school-gets-it-done-for-fenwicks-jake-thies",
  "publishedAt": "2026-04-10T22:35:02.259Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>From the transfer portal to big NIL deals to coaches job-hopping, the college football world constantly is evolving.</p><p>But there’s one place where stability reigns, and that was a big draw for Fenwick’s Jake Thies.</p><p>One of the heroes of the Friars’ stunning Class 6A championship victory against East St. Louis last fall, Thies recently committed to Iowa in the 2027 recruiting cycle.</p><p>The two-way standout had some good options from the Big Ten (Illinois, Northwestern, Purdue, UCLA) to the SEC (Vanderbilt). But Thies liked what he saw in the Hawkeyes, a perennially successful program run by Kirk Ferentz, the longest-tenured coach in major-college football.</p><p>‘‘Right now, the way college football is changing, Iowa hasn’t bought into any of that,’’ Thies told the Sun-Times. ‘‘They’re staying true to what they do — how they recruit, how they handle stuff within their team.</p><p>‘‘It’s an old-school team, a physical team.’’</p><p>If that sounds like Fenwick, which has won two state titles in the last four seasons under coach Matt Battaglia, it’s no coincidence.</p><p>‘‘That was another thing I was looking for,’’ Thies said of a team with a similar mindset. ‘‘I’ve enjoyed my time at Fenwick. The program fits me super-well.’’</p><p>The 6-foot, 185-pound Thies has been a force on both sides of the ball for the Friars at safety and running back. In the victory against East St. Louis, he piled up 200 all-purpose yards, 19 tackles, an interception and two touchdowns — one on a 74-yard run.</p><p>Thies, the consensus No. 23 prospect in Illinois in the 2027 cycle, has a college future as a defensive back. Iowa’s reputation on that side of the ball and its track record of making players better factored heavily into his decision.</p><p>‘‘That’s the place that’s going to develop me the best,’’ Thies said. ‘‘The DBs coach [Phil Parker] is also the defensive coordinator. No school is going to be able to top that.’’</p><p>Thies started playing flag football when he was 3 and tackle when he was 6, so it’s no surprise he comes from a football family. Dad Scott, who is Fenwick’s athletic director, played at DePauw, and older brother Tommy, also a mainstay on the 2025 state champs, is heading to Miami (Ohio).</p><p>Thies said he is excited to move on to the next level, playing in front of huge crowds on national broadcasts.</p><p>Before that, however, he’s all-in for his final season at Fenwick.</p><p>‘‘Right now, I’m just really focusing on being bigger, stronger, faster every season,’’ Thies said. ‘‘I’ve been working with Pete Houlihan, a DB trainer, working on the small details. If you’re a step late, that’s too much.’’</p><p>A point of emphasis is making sure the Friars have the right mindset this fall.</p><p>‘‘The main message I’m trying to get across to our guys [is] we can’t live off a win from last season,’’ Thies said. ‘‘It’s not the same team. Not getting complacent is huge.’’<br></p>",
  "title": "Old-school gets it done for Fenwick's Jake Thies",
  "updatedAt": "2026-04-10T22:50:19.765Z"
}