2-sport star caps storybook prep career with state football title

By Terry Poulos, Greeks In Sports editor

(Originally published December 6, 2021)

Fenwick High School senior Jimmy Liston in late November capped off a glorious prep sports career with a state football title. He recently made a verbal commitment to play for Purdue University beginning in the Fall of 2022.

In late December, the 6’4, 290-pound first-team All-State and All-Area center helped lead his Catholic League squad to the state Class 5A championship with a decisive 34-15 win over Kankakee. Behind Liston’s blocking, Fenwick won most of its postseason games handily.

Liston is a rare four-year starter in football. In fact, he set a new school record for most games played. He’s also a two-sport standout, having been an all-state wrestler for three years running. His size and athleticism, combined with nimble footwork and outsized leverage gained from years of wrestling, bring a unique skill-set to the offensive line.

This reporter personally witnessed Liston push a defender literally 30 yards downfield on one running play. The kid is outstanding in every aspect of his position. He’s projected to play center at Purdue, his current position.

After a semifinal win over Nazareth, the opposing coach had high praise for young Jimmy. Below is a screenshot of his Twitter feed.

In a Tweet, the head coach of Nazareth High School, which Fenwick defeated in the playoffs, wrote that Liston is “the best offensive lineman in the state and I don’t think it’s particularly close. Super happy for you Jimmy, Purdue is getting one heck of a football player.”

Liston comes from great football lineage. His father is prominent Chicago-area attorney Brian Liston, who himself played football at Purdue. A longtime member of AHEPA, Brian is half Greek and is married to Greek American Kiki Vale, a former radio reporter at Chicago-area network affiliates.