Blainey Dowling’s Return to Football: A Story of Resilience and Determination

Blainey Dowling, a senior quarterback for St. Xavier, played his first football game in Chicago after four years. Despite a challenging 42-point loss in a driving rainstorm, his perspective remained positive. Dowling, a Mount Carmel graduate, described the experience as a blessing. This attitude is understandable considering his journey.

During his time at Eastern Illinois, Dowling faced two elbow surgeries. Two surgeons even advised him to retire medically from football. Initially, he thought this was the best decision. However, he chose to join St. Xavier, and he calls every day since then a blessing.

Even on that rainy Saturday, Dowling threw for 175 yards and two touchdowns. Yet, St. Xavier lost 59-17 to the sixth-ranked Indiana Wesleyan in the Mid-States Football Association crossover game at Bruce R. Deaton Memorial Field in Chicago. Freshman wide receiver Coen Demack played well, catching five passes for 81 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown to put St. Xavier ahead 17-7. Senior defensive back Owen Schickel, another Mount Carmel alum, made 14 tackles, with 10 solo stops, and forced two fumbles.

For Indiana Wesleyan, Arjun Lothe threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, and Ryan Whitwell from Batavia ran 27 times for 243 yards and two touchdowns. Though Blake Brumbaugh caught only three passes, they totaled 170 yards and three touchdowns.

Playing in front of friends and family in Chicago for the first time since 2022 was special for Dowling. During that time, he helped Mount Carmel win the first of four consecutive state championships and earned the Daily Southtown’s player of the year title. Dowling expressed gratitude, saying, “I give thanks to the Lord for getting me out here and letting me play another down.”

Dowling’s initial performance at the NAIA caught attention when he threw for 449 yards and four touchdowns on September 5 in a close 38-31 loss to Taylor in Upland, Indiana. This earned him the MSFA Midwest League Offensive Player of the Week honors. St. Xavier coach Mike Feminis praised Dowling, saying, “He can make plays. It’s impressive considering he hasn’t played in four years.”

Despite the challenges, Feminis remains optimistic about Dowling. He advised him, “You can’t be expected to be the guy who won the state championship. It’s like a prizefighter coming back after a long hiatus.”

Demack, a Bishop McNamara graduate, has become a preferred target for Dowling with 27 catches for 352 yards and four touchdowns. He called Dowling a winner, adding, “You can tell by the way he passes and the way he acts. He wants to win.”

As for the Cougars’ current record, Feminis welcomes the tough challenges before starting the MSFA Midwest season. The competition has been stiff, including a 49-14 loss to Wisconsin-Whitewater, ranked No. 12 nationally in NCAA Division III. Despite these setbacks, Dowling stated, “We need to turn it around.”

Alongside football, Dowling is pursuing a communications major and dreams of opening a training facility. His goal is to give back to younger kids and teach them a valuable lesson: “You are never out of it. You can always fight back and deal with adversity.”