Naperville Central doing well with increased attention
Given its seven-game winning streak following a season-opening loss, Naperville Central is certainly playing up to preseason expectations as the regular season enters its final week.
The defending Class 8A state champions seem primed to go on another postseason run and it’s the ability to deal with the added attention that comes with winning a state title that has the program on the brink of its first outright conference crown since 2001.
“The one thing we knew that as defending 8A state champs, you know you’re getting everybody’s best game,” Naperville Central coach Mike Stine said. “And our kids are aware of that. We know that. It’s something we talk about. We know we got a target on our backs, so we have to just be able to deal with it.”
Already guaranteed a share of their first DuPage Valley Conference crown since 2001, the Redhawks will get the title all to themselves while being the only DVC team to reach postseason play this year with a victory over Wheaton Warrenville South Friday.
For a defense that has collected 12 interceptions from eight players while allowing the opposition to score a scant 7½ points a game through eight games, including holding six opponents to 10 points or fewer, expectations are high as the program enters the postseason.
“That’s the goal: conference title and state championship. We work hard every day in practice and I think we can get it done,” senior linebacker Dan Delgrosso said.
Waubonsie Valley goes to air to beat Neuqua Valley
Undefeated in three all-time meetings with Waubonsie Valley coming into last weekend’s meeting, Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus made an obvious observation after Waubonsie Valley used a 14-point fourth quarter to earn a 35-28 victory.
“I mean, I think you stop Waubonsie Valley by stopping the triple option and then they came out and threw the ball a little bit. Had some big plays throwing the football,” Ellinghaus said. “But, still, the bottom line is you got to stop the option and we gave up some big plays (Friday) night.”
Waubonsie Valley quarterback Zack Bennema accounted for all five of his team’s touchdowns against the Wildcats in churning out 340 total yards.
But Bennema’s proficiency throwing the ball proved to be the difference as Waubonsie Valley picked up its first victory against Neuqua Valley since 2011.
Bennema completed 14 of his 19 passes for a season-high 260 yards and three TDs, including two to Keaton Casey, while adding in 80 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground for good measure.
“It felt great. I think one of the other reporters said that I almost equaled my season total in passing (Friday),” Bennema said. … “So we always knew we could throw. We had the personnel to. It’s just the run game has been working so well for us that it kind of took a back seat. But, yeah, you know, coming out here, showcasing my arm, being able to do these things helped us get the win and it really caught them by surprise.”
The 32-yard TD reception Casey caught from Bennema while running alone down the left sideline with 1:18 left in regulation, which proved to be the eventual game-winning score, typified the entire night for Waubonsie Valley coach Paul Murphy.
“Our practice all week: first-and-10, here’s the plays we’re running; second-and-medium, here’s the plays we’re running; third-and-short, this are the plays we’re running; third-and-long, this are the plays we’re running,” Murphy said. “But no game has gone that way until (Friday) night. (Friday) night, it made it a lot easier calling plays. All we did, guys in the press box did a great job—we know the corner was on their sideline.
“They were trying to hide him all night. So we knew our best receiver is Casey and we just threw enough hitch routes on him that we knew eventually we would get the hitch-and-go. It was just when could we call it when they didn’t expect it. I was trying to get the right down and distance and we got lucky. (Casey) made a great catch.”
Metea Valley postseason eligible for first time
Courtesy of its 47-27 victory on the road over Glenbard East, the members of the 2014 Metea Valley football will forever be known as the first group to reach postseason eligibility in program history.
Kyle Mooney’s 274 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Rams highlighted the 47-point output while Bryson Oliver’s 250 rushing yards and three TDs didn’t hurt as the Mustangs eclipsed the 40-point mark for the fifth time this season.
Mooney found Nick Dodson nine times for 238 yards and the two scores against Glenbard East and the connection the two seniors have developed has gone a long way towards taking some pressure off Oliver, who has 1,468 yards and 16 TDs on the year—establishing a pair of new Metea Valley single-season records.
“(Dodson) had a bunch of yards. I think he had 230 out of my 260, so he had the majority of my yards,” Mooney said. “I mean, we went to him a bunch last year. I mean, we didn’t have the wide variety of receivers that we have this year. So at the beginning of the year, I had everyone, the whole (complement of receivers).
“I had Kris King, who played last year but he has been involved a lot more this year, and Michael Phillips. But then he unfortunately broke his collarbone and I had Jordan Cagigal, as well. So I had multiple receivers, but Kris King was ineligible (against Glenbard East) and Michael Phillips has the collarbone, so we had a lot of different players who also started (including) Michael Sfikas.
“So my receiving corps was a little (shaken) up. We had different players in, so I mean, I knew I could trust Nick. So there (were) a few plays that I kind of just trusted him.”
Situated 27th in the Class 8A playoff outlook with 37 playoff points, one spot ahead of its opponent Friday, Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley wants to take all the suspense out of the equation with a victory over Neuqua Valley.
In the four all-time meetings, Neuqua Valley has won all four games by an average of 38 points while tallying an average of 54 ½ points in the process.
“I mean, we still want (to win). I’m not going to say we don’t want that win. I mean, it feels great being 5-3 (and playoff eligible heading into the Neuqua Valley game),” Mooney said. “But obviously we want that (win). But I mean, winning (at Glenbard East) kind of takes the pressure off us going into our last game.
“But, yeah, our atmosphere after the game was unlike any atmosphere in the past that I’ve ever experienced. All the coaches were pumped up and, obviously, the players were (excited) because we finally did something. We’ve always been looked down upon, always looked as like the younger team. So we’re hoping that we finally removed that stereotypical (status).”
