September 19, 2024
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Sycamore kicker Thatcher Friedrichs kicking it for cancer again

As fundraiser enters second year, Friedrichs and Spartans’ secondary readying for tough Mahomet-Seymour passing attack

By Eddie Carifio
A sign reads "#MaggieStrong" outside the Sycamore City Center, 308 W. State St. downtown in honor of Sycamore sixth grader Maggie Green, 11, who died Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, from cancer. Purple lights have been displayed across town for weeks to support Maggie and her family. Purple was Maggie's favorite color.

A sign reads "#MaggieStrong" outside the Sycamore City Center, 308 W. State St. downtown in honor of Sycamore sixth grader Maggie Green, 11, who died Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2023, from cancer. Purple lights have been displayed across town for weeks to support Maggie and her family. Purple was Maggie's favorite color. (Kelsey Rettke)

SYCAMORE – Thatcher Friedrichs is raising money to battle pediatric cancer for the second straight year as Sycamore prepares for a Week 3 game against Mahomet-Seymour.

The Sycamore kicker and cornerback already has raised more than $2,000 on his Alex’s Lemonade Stand page (alexslemonade.org, search Thatcher Friedrichs) after raising $3,213 last year. He is raising money in honor of Sycamore sixth grader Maggie Green, who died in November from a rare form of sarcoma.

“Coming back this year was definitely more of a community thing in honor of Maggie Green for how much that affected our community,” Friedrichs said. “Doing this in honor of her to prevent something like this from happening to kids in the future was super important to me. It’s why I wanted to do it again.”

Like last year, donors can contribute a flat sum or for each kick Friedrichs makes this year. He’s made six so far through two games as the Spartans head to Mahomet-Seymour on Friday. Seven people have donated on a per-kick basis, while his site lists 22 flat-sum donors.

One thing it doesn’t count, however, is passing completions. On a bad snap on a field goal attempt during a 15-9 win Friday against Oswego East, Friedrichs got to the ball and instead of falling on it, picked it up and heaved it downfield to Jack Block, who nearly got a touchdown.

The Spartans got a touchdown on the next play, and after trailing 9-7 at the start of the fourth took a 13-9 lead.

“That would have been pretty fun if I could have put that one on there,” Friedrichs said. “That was an amazing play. It was a big spark for our team when we needed a big fourth down. ... I thought about diving on it, but then I just looked up, saw a guy wearing a black jersey. I threw it to him and he made a big play.”

Friedrichs also plays cornerback for the Spartans. He and the secondary will be tested Friday against the Bulldogs, who have thrown for more than 800 yards in their first two games. Luke Dyer handles quarterbacking duties for the Bulldogs, while Trey Peters and Gavin Hammerschmidt are his top targets.

The Spartans have allowed 460 passing yards this season.

“They’ve got some really good players and a really good receiver,” Friedrichs said. “As long as we don’t give up any big chunk plays we’ll be good. It’s going to be a good game.”

Friedrichs is third on the team with 10 tackles. The cornerback opposite him, Colton Sharpness, has eight.

Sharpness said the key will be not letting Bulldog receivers pick up big yards. He said the defense will have to stay in their backpedal and play downhill.

“We need to make sure we’re not going up with any jump balls and risking any big plays, big chunk plays.” Sharpness said.

Coach Joe Ryan said the Spartans are going to be tested for sure and agreed with his corners that limiting the big play will be very important.

“It’s an unfinished product at this point,” Ryan said. “I don’t think we’ve come close to playing our best football together. We still have to make sure that happens. We have to get the pass rush going to. You get some heat on the quarterback that alleviates some of the pressure on the DBs.”