Football: O'Malley brothers put it on the line at Libertyville
OK, another O'Malley?
A trio of O'Malleys is oh-so good for Libertyville football.
Twins Sean and Kyle O'Malley, seniors, are playing their third season on varsity this season. Ryan O'Malley, a junior, has joined his big - big - brothers on the varsity.
"He's the tallest and the biggest," Sean O'Malley said of Ryan, who stands 6 feet 4 and weighs 240 pounds. "It wasn't always that way. He just shot up and caught both of us."
Oldest brother Sean - he was born 20 minutes ahead of Kyle - returns on the offensive line for Libertyville, which hosts Elk Grove in its season opener Friday night. The 6-foot-1, 260-pounder earned all-conference and all-area honors last year in helping the Wildcats reach the Class 7A state semifinals.
Sean O'Malley, along with fellow returning all-conference O-lineman Walker Hare, blocks and pass-protects for one of the best athletes in Lake County in senior quarterback Riley Lees. Last season, Lees rushed for 35 touchdowns and threw for another 10.
"With the experience we got coming back upfront, I think he could even surpass those numbers," Sean O'Malley said of Lees. "I think the goal of our offensive line is to be put in the conversation as one of the top lines in the state."
Kyle O'Malley (6-3, 215) started a linebacker last year but moves to defensive end this season, while Ryan O'Malley will play defensive tackle. The transition to a new position should be a smooth one for Kyle, who will team with Miami Ohio-commit Ben Kimpler to provide the Wildcats with a formidable rush coming off the ends.
"We just felt it was a better fit for him with his skill set," Libertyville coach Mike Jones said of Kyle O'Malley. "Last year, we didn't really have a spot for him (at defensive end) because we had Ben and Jordan (McInerney, who graduated)."
"When I was a sophomore on varsity, I played defensive end so I have familiarity with the position," Kyle O'Malley said. "Junior year, when I played linebacker, it was an adjustment. Now I'm back home, so to speak. I'm back with the boys on the defensive line and loving every minute of it.
"I have confidence in all the guys around me," Kyle added. "We got Ben Kimpler, one of the tallest, freak athletes ever (laughing)."
Rest assured, the O'Malleys will enjoy their time playing alongside each other this fall. The three brothers have no other siblings.
Actually, the football fun for them has already started.
"It was funny," said Jones, recalling a moment this summer. "Sean is running and, all of a sudden, I see him on the ground. I said, 'What are you doing?' I look and see (laughing) that he had gotten sniped by his brother. His brother had come up and hit him. It was hilarious."
More fun times are likely ahead for the O'Malley brothers and the Wildcats.