With a 2-4 record with three games to play, Metea Valley coach Ben Kleinhans made no bones about the fact his team just needed a win – no matter who the opponent was.
But despite Wheaton Warrenville South carrying a five-game losing streak and a 1-5 record when Metea Valley came calling at Red Grange Field last week, Metea Valley’s 12-6 victory spoke volumes.
“I told the guys after and I told the coaches – I don’t care what their record is,” Kleinhans said. “To beat Wheaton Warrenville South at Wheaton Warrenville South is big for our program. We didn’t take that lightly.”
Senior quarterback Conner Lovely and Ben Loutsis connected for both of the Mustangs’ touchdowns against the Tigers while the defense held Matthew Dohse and the Tigers’ offense scoreless until the fourth.
“For the program, it’s just great,” Lovely said. “Last year, we had a year of firsts. We had our first winning season. We had our first playoff run. But this year, we also have a year of firsts. It’s our first time beating Waubonsie. It’s the first time beating some DVC opponents we’ve never played before. So we’re definitely moving in the right track. We just got to clean up some things in the ensuing weeks.
“Wheaton Warrenville South’s a perennial state powerhouse. They’ve won more state championship games than we’ve been in the playoffs. They’re one of those historically great football teams. Coming out of Red Grange Field with a victory is just huge for our program.”
The six-point victory over the Tigers keeps the Mustangs’ postseason hopes alive for at least one more week as it travels to Carol Stream to play red-hot Glenbard North for the first time.
While Vittorio Tricase and Devion Hodges have combined to give the Panthers quite a 1-2 punch in the backfield, Maurice Burkley’s contributions to the Mustangs’ offense hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Burkley enters Metea Valley’s visit to Glenbard North on Friday with back-to-back 100-yard rushing games under his belt and has 451 rushing yards on 94 carries through seven games.
“He’s really been improving throughout the season,” Lovely said of Burkley. “At the beginning of the season, our coaches were really preaching to him to run downhill and really be aggressive. Be that power running back we know he can be. That’s what he’s been doing these last couple weeks.
“We’ve become more of a balanced offense, which is really helping me out as a quarterback. And having a guy like Maurice back there who can carry it a bunch of times and get 100 yards and make some really good, big, explosive plays is great.”
Marty Dosen out: Benet junior running back Marty Dosen has done an admirable job filling in the shoes of the departed Brad Sznajder for a program that finds itself postseason-eligible.
But for the Redwings to try and officially clinch a spot in the 32-team Class 7A field over the course of the next two weeks, they’ll have it to do it without Dosen.
Dosen ran 12 times for 38 yards in the Redwings’ 28-14 victory at Carmel before leaving with a hip pointer after being hit with a helmet and not returning.
“Probably not,” Benet coach Pat New said when asked if Dosen would be available when undefeated Joliet Catholic comes to Lisle on Friday. “I think he might not be available until the playoffs.”
On the year, Dosen has run for 575 yards and three touchdowns and Charlie Weidenbach and Alec McEachern will both get reps at running back in his stead.
“It was unfortunate Marty got hurt,” New said on Sunday. “But (last) week, we started practicing Alec and Charlie Weidenbach in the backfield quite a bit.”
Yukna making plays: When looking and dissecting what a young Waubonsie Valley defense has done all year, many eyes turn in Max Ihry’s direction.
That’s only natural considering Ihry’s 72 tackles and two sacks from his middle linebacker spot for a unit that’s allowed six of seven opponents to score under 20 points.
But one of the 10 new starters to the unit coming into the year – junior safety Connor Yukna – is making his presence known in the back end of Ron Griffin’s unit.
Yukna has 62 tackles on the year through seven games, including his team-high five interceptions.
In the Warriors’ 49-6 victory at East Aurora last Friday, Yukna picked off three passes as they forced five turnovers against the Tomcats.
Waubonsie Valley coach Paul Murphy’s praise for Yukna is right to the point.
“In the 11 years I’ve been here, he’s one of the best safeties we’ve ever had,” he said of Yukna.
Yukna’s other two interceptions came on Shane Conway passes in the Warriors’ 14-7 victory in Week 2 over Glenbard North.
