Brookline’s Jonah Fay snaring clutch receptions, praise, at Brown
Fay’s slant play pays off nicely for Brown
With Brown University trailing host Holy Cross, 21-10, Saturday afternoon, Jonah Fay
(inset at right) jump-started a fourth-quarter comeback by the Bears with a 2-yard touchdown catch. Brown, which hosts defending Ivy League champs Harvard on Saturday, grabbed a 24-21 win.
“It was a play I ran when was at Noble & Greenough, a short slant directly at the cornerback and then a cut to the outside, ‘’ said the senior receiver from Brookline. “It’s tough to cover man-to-man, especially so close to the goal line. It’s the perfect route for that situation.’’
The 6-foot, 170-pound Fay liked the pass route so much that he asked the Brown coaching staff to consider adding it to the team’s playbook. “Not right away, of course. I had to earn their respect,’’ added Fay, who earned Independent School League all-star honors at Nobles even though he didn’t play football until his junior year at the private school in Dedham.
“I played soccer before that, but I was the last cut from the varsity my freshman and sophomore years so I made the switch. I played one year with the Brookline town football program at age 8 and with my friends after school or at recess, so what I had to do to make the team at Nobles was run faster than the man covering me,’’ said Fay.
His explosiveness helped pave the way for a 7-1-1 season his junior year, and Noble & Greenough went 9-0-0 the following season, winning the New England Prep Class B title.
Against Thayer Academy his senior year, Fay showcased his ability to perform in clutch situations, scoring the game-winning touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Fay was recruited by several New England Small College Athletic Conference schools, but wanted the challenge of playing against Ivy League competition.
“No question I respected the NESCAC because of their academic and athletic tradition,’’ said Fay, who was injured his freshman season at Brown and scored his first collegiate touchdown his sophomore year against Princeton.
A year ago, Fay played a prominent role in the wide receiver rotation, ranking fifth in receptions (19 for 239 yards) including TD catches against Holy Cross and Yale.
Last weekend, he recorded three catches for 31 yards, including a crucial 23-yard reception from senior QB Patrick Donnelly on third-and-8. His catch gave the Bears a first down on the Holy Cross 38. “That was just a matter of finding the seam on the hash,’’ said Fay, whose uncle, Luis Cortez, was a captain of the Boston University soccer team.
Brown’s head coach, Phil Estes,
is also the team’s receivers coach.
“Jonah’s a late bloomer and was still learning the game when he came to us,’’ Estes said. “Now he can make those big, acrobatic catches and he’s been a leader for us and a great mentor for our younger receivers. And he definitely asked me to put in that slant play.’’
Fay said his relationship with Estes has been great.
“Coach Estes helped me out a lot and I learn something new from him every game,’’ said Fay.
“In the first half against Holy Cross, we were not playing up to our capabilities and that was frustrating. So I was very happy that the team gave me the opportunity to score at a critical moment and that’s the ultimate feeling.’’
Campus corner
Bridgewater State University sophomore forward Erica Jonasson
of Wrentham was named the women’s soccer player of the week by the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference after tallying three goals in a 10-0 victory over Fitchburg State, and adding an assist in a 3-2 loss to the University of Massachusetts Boston. . . Local athletes at Connecticut College include women’s soccer tricaptain Ali McKeigue
of Arlington, who spoke at the dedication of the New London school’s upgraded Silfen Field, and sophomore Kevin O’Brien
of Wellesley, who netted the equalizer last Saturday in a 1-1 men’ s soccer draw against Hamilton College. . . Hopkinton’s Courtney Dunne, a senior standout on the women’s volleyball team at Saint Michael’s College, became the fourth player in program history to reach 1,000 career digs when she racked up 17 in a recently match against Plymouth (N.H.) State. Teammate Jess McLeod, a senior from Medfield, dished out 25 assists in the same contest.
Crossroads to hold 5K
The Crossroads School of Natick’s inaugural 5K race and 2-mile walk to benefit children with autism will be held Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. The starting and finish lines will be at the school, located at 11 Huron Drive.
Proceeds will help the school expand its vocational and job training programs, train special education teachers, and fund capital improvements to the school building.
To register for the event, visit www.crossroads5k.org or call 508-651-7500.
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