Since coming back from the pandemic, the Dakota Lancers and Oak Park Raiders have been top dawgs at the junior varsity level.
The two teams have gone a combined 21-5 between the 2021 and 2022 seasons, with Dakota’s only two losses during that time coming to Oak Park.
In ’21, the Lancers ran the table, thanks to over 25 touchdowns from standout running back Augustine Nkundimana. They met the 2-2 Raiders in the championship, where fireworks erupted in a 55-25 final for Dak.
The championship game offered a glimpse into both team’s futures at the varsity level.
For the Lancers, underclassmen like quarterback Rogan Vergata, linebacker Noah McCorriston, receiver Mikun Odunuga and others made the jump to Division 1, along with incoming juniors like Nkundimana and fellow running back John Boubard.
With a boatload of veterans already present, Dakota reached the ANAVETS Bowl in 2022, falling just short to St. Paul’s in the most impressive season the school has had to date in Division 1.
Oak Park also lost some key pieces from their 2021 JV roster. Five sophomores moved up to Division 1, including quarterback Ryan Wirtzfeld. He was the leading passer at the U16 Western Challenge, and had over 1700 total yards in 2022, helping the Raiders make the playoffs.
One person who chose to stay at the JV level was sophomore running back Onan Furst.
Already being described as the next big thing to come out of Oak Park, he has all the potential to follow in the footsteps of Raiders greats Andrew Harris, Nic Demski and Brady Oliveira.
The 5’11”, 203-pounder came to the Raiders in 2021 after a dominant MMFA career. He helped the Valour Patriots to a peewee championship previously, the first provincial title for the program, and was the game’s MVP.
Furst is a hot commodity, because he does all the little things well. He is a terror running north-south but can also beat you with his speed to the outside. Additionally, he’s a punter, is used as a gadget quarterback and is a strong blocker downfield.
Described as a “one in a 1000 player” by former coach Nathan Leitao, Furst’s IQ for the game is also a strength. He started officiating four years ago and is like another coach on the sideline.
When you combine all of these intangibles, you get a player who’s borderline unstoppable. That is, unless he’s hurt.
In 2021, Furst missed considerable time, including the championship due to an injury. Despite this, he was as engaged as anyone on the sideline in a brutally cold day at East Side Eagles field, offering words of encouragement to his teammates.
When the clock hit zero, it was clear that there was unfinished business for the west end wonderkid.
Furst came back with a vengeance this season, and played so well in the spring that he could’ve made Oak Park’s varsity team.
His tournament-leading 185 rushing yards at the U16 Western Challenge alongside Wirtzfeld further enforced his rise to stardom, but when it came time to make a decision, the bruising back chose to play JV for one more year.
In his eyes, the decision was a simple one.
“It was a decision just because of last year, with injuries,” he said. “I thought that we could do something special this season, so I stuck with [the JV team].”
Boy, did the Raiders ever do something special. They out-scored their opponents 344-84 and didn’t lose a game all year. On November 12, they culminated their season with a 35-13 win over the Lancers, getting redemption from one year prior.
Standout performances all season from Furst, the offensive player of the game in the final, as well as 6’3”, 170-pound receiver and tight end Nathan Esch, quarterback Kevan Savage, receiver Tavin Parani, offensive and defensive lineman Cole Garriock and many others helped turn the Raiders into an unstoppable force.
“I think this year, we just had better teamwork. We were together a lot more than last year,” noted Furst. “Obviously winning more games brought us together. We were a wild group. We had a lot of personalities that came together.”
Furst got the scoring started in the championship, taking a red zone pitch to the outside where he was virtually un-touched. It was the first of three second quarter majors for the Raiders, who never trailed, going into halftime with a 21-2 lead thanks in large part to their passing game.
Esch and Parani scored in the second quarter on tosses from Savage, while Owen Sampson also had a key interception in the second half.
Overall, Oak Park kept the Lancers guessing with a well-balanced offensive attack that included numerous gadget plays from Furst, resulting in chunk yardage through the air. Dakota kept pushing, led by likes the of David Sindikubwabo and Jake Godfrey, but it simply wasn’t their night.
“Going in, we wanted to pass the ball more, knowing [Dakota] would play the run and spy,” recalled Furst. “We were trusting our quarterback and receivers, so we threw the ball more.”
With their first championship since 2017 secured, the future is bright for Oak Park. Over 20 seniors return for the 2023 season, along with Wirtzfeld and a grade 11 class that should make the Raiders a top contender in 2023 and 2024.
When asked what the future holds, Furst went straight to the point.
“The same thing,” he noted with a beaming smile. “More championships.”