Oswego’s Noah Parker-Jamal Fomby connection too much for Joliet West

SHARE Oswego’s Noah Parker-Jamal Fomby connection too much for Joliet West
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Oswego’s Jamal Fomby, Jr., makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown. Allen Cunningham/For the Sun-Times.

Oswego quarterback Noah Parker and receiver Jamal Fomby Jr. used a little bit of tenacity and a lot of chemistry to bust open a close game on Saturday in Joliet.

The pair connected for three touchdowns in the second half to lead the No. 5 Panthers to a 49-14 win against Joliet West.

Parker found Fomby for touchdown catches of 61, 64 and 52 yards. Each play was an adventure. It usually begin with Parker scrambling for his life and somehow finding a way to fling the ball downfield to his best friend.

“That’s the best game I’ve ever played in my life,” Fomby said. “It starts with [Parker] getting out of the pocket, moving around and getting the ball to me and the line giving him enough time.”

Fomby, a senior, had six receptions for 200 yards. Parker was 13-for-16 passing for 324 yards and five touchdowns.

“[Parker] has been my best friend since third grade and we’ve played together since then,” Fomby said. “If I see him rolling out I get open for him. I don’t want him to get hit too bad.”

Parker, a senior, says that extra tenacity comes from regular scuffles with his brother.

“I can take it,” Parker says. “My brother and I fought a lot. That helps with shedding tackles maybe.”

Charles Coleman, a talented senior running back with soft hands, is the star attraction for the Panthers (4-0, 4-0 Southwest Prairie). He had 15 carries for 66 yards and three catches for 26 yards.

“We have a better aerial attack because of Charles,” Parker said. “The defense is always worried about such a big back that they have to stop.”

Fomby and Parker have clearly matured developed game breaking threats as well.

“Jamal is a phenomenal wide receiver,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said. “He made some plays today that we typically don’t see around Oswego. He’s fun to watch.

“He played some as a sophomore. Then he was a standout as a junior. There was a complete spike last year in what his capability was and he’s climbing through the ceiling on that.”

Joliet West (0-4, 0-4) scored right before halftime on a 27-yard pass from Alfonso Sanchez to DJ Dobbs. That made it 19-14 Oswego at the break.

“We just came out and underestimated them,” Fomby said. “We saw the Oswego East score and thought we were ok. They hit us in the mouth and kept it closer than any game we’ve been in.”

The Tigers didn’t score again in the game. Sanchez was 7-for-14 passing for 106 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

Joliet West receiver Kevon Dorris caught three passes for 44 yards. The Tigers couldn’t get anything going on the ground.

“We were up five [at half] and there are a lot of teams in the state that would be satisfied with that,” Cooney said. “I like the fact that our guys came out with a chip on their shoulder and understood the first half wasn’t good enough.”

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