With the 9-3 Sycamore Spartans Varsity Football team scheduled to face the 10-2 Fenwick Friars on Saturday in their IHSA Semifinal playoff game, State Representative Jeff Keicher, R-Sycamore, has made a friendly wager with House Republican Leader Jim Durkin, R-Western Springs, a graduate of Fenwick along with his 7 brothers who represents neighboring communities in the western Cook County suburbs – involving Italian beef sandwiches from each legislator’s chosen local restaurant.
Should the Spartans prevail on Saturday, Leader Durkin will deliver 12 Italian beef sandwiches to Rep. Keicher’s office in Sycamore from Johnnie’s Beef in Elmwood Park. Should the Friars emerge victorious, Keicher will deliver 12 Tom and Jerry’s Italian beefs from of Sycamore to Durkin’s office in Burr Ridge. Tom and Jerry’s, a longtime supporter of Sycamore Athletics, has been providing a pregame meal to the Spartans all season, “we’re glad to showcase how awesome Sycamore is this weekend, Go Spartans!!” shared Diann Beaulieu, owner of the local favorite.
“All of us in Sycamore are exceptionally proud of our Spartan Varsity Football team and rooting hard for them on Saturday to make a statement on the team’s success,” Rep. Keicher said. “I am looking forward to a big Spartans victory and showing the entire State of Illinois that Sycamore Football is on their way to a championship this season. Should we come up short, I am sure that Leader Durkin will enjoy the outstanding Italian beef from Tom and Jerry’s just as much as we do here in Sycamore. Go Spartans!”
Leader Durkin expressed confidence in his squad’s chances on Saturday: “Fenwick High School has a deep tradition in the western suburbs of Cook County,” Durkin said. “Synonymous with Fenwick Friars is the finest Italian Beef stand in the nation -Johnnies Beef in Elmwood Park. A combo of Fenwick and Johnnies for this Saturday’s semifinal cannot be beat. My colleague Rep. Jeff Keicher and I have a challenge for the Friars v. Spartans this Saturday. If I win, Keicher owes me beefs from Tom and Jerry’s of Sycamore. If Fenwick loses, I owe Keicher a dozen beefs from Johnnies. This is an easy one. I’ll see you in Burr Ridge on Monday, Rep Keicher – goods in hand. I like my odds.”
David Coovert, who covers Sycamore Football as a broadcaster on SpartanTV on YouTube, chimed in on the Keicher/Durkin wager: “I have watched our scrappy Spartan players grow from the very first week of this season and truly come to embody all the characteristics that define a championship-caliber team. I am excited to see our underrated Spartans in action this weekend and show everyone what they’re made of on the playoff stage.”
Saturday’s game is scheduled for 1:00pm kickoff at Triton College in River Grove, home of the Friars.