Backfield brothers

Luke and Zach Fennelly power Whitefish's offense

When Whitefish High School running back Luke Fennelly lines up in the Bulldogs' backfield, he sees the field through the eyes of a quarterback. He knows exactly what Whitefish's signal caller is reading in the defense and whether or not he will call an audible.

Not only is Fennelly a wise senior, but Whitefish's quarterback is his twin brother. Zach Fennelly was born about 15 minutes after Luke - a gap which seemingly marks the longest the two have ever been apart.

And while sharing a varsity backfield is new to the Fennellys, being teammates is not. Zach and Luke first donned the same jersey a dozen years ago when the boys were kindergartners and tee-ball teammates in Kalispell.

Since then, not a year has passed when the two didn't play baseball, basketball or football for the same squad. But what has been familiar for so long is about to change as this school year likely marks the last time Luke and Zach will be teammates.

"It's very exciting that it's the last time," Luke said. "It hasn't really hit me yet because we've been doing it our whole lives."

The Fennellys started playing backyard football as soon as they could walk and one-on-one basketball games soon followed. They play basketball for Whitefish, but both claim football as their favorite sport.

The gridiron has been an especially happy place this year as Whitefish is 5-0, including 3-0 in Northwestern A play, following Friday's win at Ronan. The Bulldogs are ranked fourth in Class A as of last week's Montana Newspaper Association power poll and the Fennellys are a big reason why.

Luke rushed 33 times for 225 yards and four touchdowns Friday, giving him 742 yards and nine rushing touchdowns this season. He's averaged 7.1 yards per carry.

Zach has thrown for three touchdowns, run for four more and been a veteran anchor for Whitefish's powerful offense. The Bulldogs have averaged 26.6 points per game.

Many athletes go home to escape athletics, but the Fennellys take football home with them. Luke said he and Zach talk about football "after every practice, every game and all weekend long, especially driving home."

Those conversations continue at the dinner table, which doesn't bother Luke's and Zach's parents Pete and Amy.

"Our dad is into it," Zach said. "He'll usually join in on the conversations."

Luke and Zach talk about what worked well in their last game and what they need to improve upon, but they rarely talk about themselves.

"They're definitely team players - especially modest," said Whitefish coach Patrick Dryden.

Derek Schulz coached the Fennellys on Whitefish's basketball team the past two seasons.

"Both of them are the type of young athlete and young man that any coach would like to have on their team," Schulz said. "I don't care what you're playing, it doesn't make a difference, because when they commit to a team, they're committed to that team completely."

Zach was elected captain by his teammates this season.

"I was really glad that Zach was selected captain because Luke's always been kind of the vocal leader," Dryden said. "For the team to select him as captain, I thought that was a pretty good move on their part.

"When I first met these two kids, you could tell that Luke had a lot of confidence and it wasn't until I got to know them more thoroughly that I saw Zach's quiet confidence."

Dryden said Zach's unspoken confidence permeates Whitefish's huddles and is a calming influence.

Dryden met the Fennellys about four years ago when he coached their eighth-grade basketball team.

"I'd heard a lot about them, but it was really cool because I could tell how competitive they were, even at that age," Dryden said. "I remember that season we weren't incredibly talented, but we went 11-1 and we won a lot of close games just on guts and desire, and I think they were a big part of that."

Zach and Luke have inordinate amounts of courage and determination. They have to in order to excel in a violent, collision sport despite their relatively small bodies.

Luke is 5-foot-7 and weighs 155 pounds. Zach is two inches taller and 15 pounds heavier. It's tempting to label them "scrappers" who get more out of their bodies than nature intended, but there's a problem with that - they're tremendous athletes.

When the Bulldogs ran 40-yard sprints in Whitefish's gym, Zach finished in 4.7 seconds while Luke registered a 4.8.

"Zach's a little faster than Luke, but Luke's got a little more shiftiness and Zach's a little more explosive," Dryden said.

Their physical differences don't stop there. Luke's blond curls and Zach's straight, brown hair have prompted people to question whether or not they're really brothers, let alone twins.

"They don't look a lot alike, but I think they're more alike than you would guess," Dryden said. "I guess the more I've gotten to know them, the more similarities I see now."

Zach led Whitefish's freshman team to an undefeated season in 2003. He was expected to be the varsity backup quarterback in 2004, but Whitefish's starter was injured at the University of Montana's football camp and Zach's reign began.

"That's when (Zach) really came of age," Dryden said. "He had a great camp and he's been our quarterback ever since."

Dryden said Zach's psychological makeup is conducive to playing quarterback because he never panics and is never out of control.

"You can just feel the confidence when he's taking charge of the huddle, and when he makes a mistake he's disappointed, but he doesn't get down on himself and he doesn't beat himself up," Dryden said.

Luke became Whitefish's starting free safety as a sophomore. He caught 12 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown at wide receiver last year, but made a seamless transition to running back this season.

"They would do anything we asked," Dryden said. "Zach is our quarterback, but if we had to put him in at cornerback, he'd do it in a heartbeat."

Luke absorbs plenty of big hits, but Dryden said he only shows pain when Whitefish's coaches pull him out of games and force him to rest.

Luke said the switch from wide receiver to running back was easy because he's been catching passes and taking handoffs from his brother his whole life, dating back to those backyard games.

"I can see the connection, especially when we're running veer option or Zach's hitting Luke on a pass play," Dryden said. "They just have a sixth sense in knowing where each other are."

Schulz said it's no coincidence Zach plays quarterback and Luke plays point guard in basketball - positions which require exceptional leadership.

"The most amazing part is that both of them are true leaders and I think that what makes that incredible is, here you have two brothers leading two different sports, but both young men have that admiration of their teammates and respect of their teammates," Schulz said.

Schulz can't pinpoint a specific moment when Luke's and Zach's leadership became evident.

"It was all the time," Schulz said. "It was every practice, it was every game, it was everything. They were always leading, but rarely opening their mouths.

"They do the sports because they love sports and they love team, not because they love self. They're so well adjusted in every respect and that's what high school sports are all about really."

While they're each other's biggest supporters, brothers are brothers and the Fennellys admit to teasing one another from time to time. They've also gotten into fights, but not for a long time.

"Some (fights) start out as jokes and end up getting pretty serious," Luke said. "We're definitely not going to back down from each other, but when it's done you're back to being brothers again."

Luke's reaction when Zach threads a perfect spiral between two defenders?

"Oh, I could have done that - put me back there," Luke said.

But the ribbing is never vicious.

"I don't see a real rivalry between them, but I see them pushing each other," Dryden said.

The Fennellys said their main objective is to keep winning, but they did set individual goals before the season.

"I just wanted to pass more - be more of a leader," Zach said.

Zach said he's playing with a newfound ease and enjoys Whitefish's team chemistry more than ever.

"It's the best it's been in the three years I've had to quarterback here," Zach said. "It's no worries."

Zach is most relaxed when Luke is blocking on pass plays.

"If he's on my backside, I know I don't have to worry about my backside," Zach said.

Luke even made a deal with Whitefish's offensive linemen.

"If I get over 1,500 yards or close to 2,000, then I have to buy then dinner," Luke said.

That Luke doesn't mind sacrificing his body to block and Zach doesn't mind compromising his passing numbers when the team is running the ball well epitomize the Fennellys' lack of ego.

"What I really like about them is they're not spoiled kids," Dryden said. "They're just blue-collar, hard-nosed, hard-working kids - the type of kids you'd want working for you."

Zach and Luke are both excellent students with college aspirations. Zach wants to stay in the West and study engineering.

Luke hopes to play football or basketball in college and eventually go into sports management or coaching. He's open to leaving the region, pending his options.

"I've thought about walking on," Luke said. "I like the bigger colleges and I'm obviously a smaller guy. I just want a chance to play."

Dryden thinks both brothers could play at the next level.

"I think they both could play small-college football, just because of their quickness and toughness and the fact that they're such good kids," Dryden said. "You win with kids like Luke and Zach."

Regardless of where they matriculate, chances are Zach and Luke will be separated for the first time in their lives.

Luke is excited for college, but admits the experience will be strange without Zach.

"It doesn't dampen it much, but it will take a long time to get used to," Luke said. "I'm just used to having my twin around."

It's been smooth sailing so far, but the waters are about to get rough as Whitefish plays Libby and Columbia Falls at home the next two weeks before heading to Polson on Oct. 20.

If the Bulldogs are to win the Northwestern A and go deep into the playoffs, the Fennellys need to play better than ever. The two already have faith in each other.

Zach describes Luke as the smartest back he's ever thrown or handed the ball to.

"He doesn't back down from anybody (despite) having a small body," Zach said. "He knows the game better than anybody. He's got everything and if he was big he'd be great."

Luke offers the following assessment of Zach.

"He's the toughest guy I've ever seen," Luke said. "He backs down from no one and steps up to any challenge."

There is one thing Zach especially wants from his final months playing with his brother.

"To try to get as much as we can out of it while we've got it," Zach said.