Brothers shine in Marist's season-opening win

Junior quarterback Jake Fleming threw for 259 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to his sophomore brother Conor, as Marist beat visiting Simeon 44-28 in the season opener for both teams.

Jake Fleming completed 12 of 17 passes for 259 yards and three touchdowns, while Conor Fleming caught five passes for 74 yards and two scores. It was the varsity starting debut for both brothers, who grew up around the RedHawks program — their father, Pat, is the school's athletic director and a longtime football assistant, and their grandfather was a member of Marist's first graduating class in the mid-1960s.

"I was nervous going in, but after the first play it's go time so I got my nerves down," Jake told the Chicago Sun-Times. Conor, who played lacrosse as a freshman before making his varsity football debut, said he was "a little nervous. But I just do what I can and [I know] I'll be fine."

The brothers' connection was on display from the second quarter, when Jake threw a dart over the middle that Conor turned into a 30-yard touchdown catch — the first career score for both players. Jake's final pass of the game was a 22-yard touchdown toss to Conor early in the fourth quarter, giving him a pair of scoring strikes on the day.

"It was amazing," Conor said. "We've been working together since we could walk and today we made it happen when it really mattered. We started when I was in fourth grade and he was in fifth. We have just been building that connection."

Marist coach Mike Fitzgerald, who returned to lead the program in 2024 during Jake's freshman year, recalled driving to school for the opener and realizing his starting receiver had been his ball boy two years earlier. "They seemed unfazed, cool; calm, collected," he said. "Both of those kids, they put the preparation in, they put the time in and that's what you love to see."

Marist's other offensive contributors

Beyond the Fleming brothers, the RedHawks got production from multiple sources. Senior running back Conor Hunt ran 28 times for 136 yards and caught a 33-yard touchdown pass, while Chase Tylka had two catches for 89 yards and Billy Nitsche added a 29-yard scoring run.

The Tribune's report also highlighted Tommy Hosty, a senior all-purpose player who scored two rushing touchdowns out of the Wildcat formation and set up another score with an interception. Jake Fleming also rushed for 41 yards on four carries.

Fitzgerald acknowledged there was room for improvement despite the win. "There's a lot of things we've got to clean up just in terms of better discipline, [avoiding] personal fouls, those types of things," he said. "That's not who we are. That's not going to help us reach where we're trying to go."

Simeon's highlights

Simeon showed flashes on offense. Sophomore quarterback Aki King and receiver Jalonny Billingsley connected on touchdown plays of 53 and 34 yards, and Simeon coach Sinque Turner expressed excitement about having the duo going forward.

Senior running back James Bell had 12 carries for 84 yards and a touchdown; his college offers include Indiana and Miami, according to the Sun-Times. Elijah Welch, a senior making his high school football debut, had two long kickoff returns, including an 85-yarder for a touchdown.

Family legacy and earned opportunity

Jake Fleming's path to the starting quarterback job was not automatic. He told the Tribune that "the past has definitely helped" and that nothing was guaranteed — he had to earn the role. Fitzgerald, who first met Jake during an earlier stint as an assistant from 2008 to 2013, has watched the young quarterback develop over the years.

"I feel like I've known ever since I was a kid that being the quarterback is what I wanted to do," Jake said. "This has been my thing, and now, I'm just working every day to be the starter."

The brothers' performance gave Marist a 1-0 start and a memorable debut for the family connection at the heart of the program.