Frankie Nichols’ 2-point pass didn’t go as planned – but worked to perfection for Nazareth

NORMAL – The play was called “Petey.”

Nazareth junior Frankie Nichols, who doubles as the team’s kicker/punter and backup quarterback, has the discretion to call for it.

It didn’t go according to plan Saturday.

It couldn’t, however, have worked out any more perfectly for Nazareth.

Nichols’ two-point conversion pass to sophomore Henry Sakalas late in the third quarter was one of two huge special teams trick plays by Nichols, and proved to be the game-winning points.

That was because Nazareth turned away a Joliet Catholic two-point conversion in the final minute to hold on to a 29-27 win in the Class 5A championship for its third straight title.

“I didn’t know it would be that big of a play either,” Nichols said, “until the last play.”

Nichols had thrown 13 passes all year, but his 14th was magic, and came after Logan Malachuk’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Gabe Kaminski with 3:20 left in the third quarter.

That set up the two-point conversion Nichols and Nazareth practiced for the first time this week, for this specific opponent.

“We saw what [Joliet Catholic] did on extra points and field goals,” Nichols said. “Our key guy was No. 42. If he came down into the box then we would have Gabe go out and sort of like throw a pop over their heads.”

Nichols, the kicker on the play, called for the direct snap to him, Richard Skinkis delivered the snap on target – and then things went a little haywire.

“We saw No. 42 come down, I called it and he snapped it to me, I started to roll out but then No. 42 dropped back and I was like ‘Oh, shoot,’” Nichols said. “I threw it to one of my guys and it just happened.”

Never used in games until Saturday, Nichols said the play worked pretty good in practice.

“But they didn’t drop back like they did there,” Nichols said.

Effective if not according to plan, it caught both coaches – Nazareth’s Tim Racki and Joliet Catholic’s Jake Jaworski, off guard.

“I had not seen them do it on film,” Jaworski said. “It seemed like a bad snap, hit their kicker who is their backup quarterback.”

“I thought it was something we do on a field goal,” Racki said. “I didn’t see it coming, I turned around and said ‘What was that?’ But we got the 2-point. Frankie Nichols has come through in clutch situations, that 2-point the difference. Frankie stepped in during this playoff run as the punter. We switched to a boot punter. Which I’m happy we did.”

Indeed, Nichols’ first big play was just as bold a choice as the conversion.

With Nichols punting from his own end zone and Nazareth leading 14-7 early in the second quarter, he took off for a fake punt on fourth-and-eight.

Nichols gained 24 yards, and it turned out the key play on a 99-yard drive that ended with Malachuk’s 34-yard TD pass to James Penley.

“Basically on our punt if I see the green grass I can just take off, I can just run and take it,” Nichols said. “It’s a decision I made. I saw the opportunity and was like ‘Let’s get a first down.’”

Nichols also ran for a first down on a fake punt on Nazareth’s first scoring drive in the semifinal win over St. Francis.

But that came at midfield.

From the shadow of his end zone? It seemed dangerous at the time, but Racki didn’t mind it a bit.

“That was one where he does have the green light,” Racki said. “He’s fast enough, he’s an athlete. We know what we got is a weapon with him back there, with his grit. He knows if it’s there go get that first down. Thankfully for us he was open.”