Naperville North football, the lone area playoff qualifier from 2025, faced a tough challenge on the road at New Trier to start the season. Explosive plays and miscues filled the first half for both teams before New Trier pulled away from Naperville North for a 45-13 victory.
The Naperville North Huskies travel north to take on the New Trier Trevians for the 3rd time in as many years. The Huskies aim to spoil New Trier’s home-opening whiteout after falling short to the Trevians a year ago, 20-14. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
A wild start to the night
Before the Trevian faithful could even find their seats, New Trier’s running back Throy Nightingale Jr. runs over two Huskies and stiff-arms a third on his way to a 67-yard house call! Not too shabby for your first touch of senior year. The Trevians quickly start up 7.
Whoever decided to grab concessions at the start of the game didn’t miss just one early touchdown, but two! On the Huskies’ first play from scrimmage, quarterback Dante Colasante rips a pass to Jack Zitko for a 79-yard catch-and-run touchdown. Blink, and you’ll miss it; this game is knotted up already!
Just past the halfway point of the first, Trevians ‘ senior QB Jackie Ryder layers a pass over the Huskie linebackers to find Paul Liang for a 40-yard gain to push their drive into the red zone.
Trevians capitalize on miscues
On the ensuing play, Nightingale Jr. gets a pitch right and shows off his strength yet again, bouncing off a Huskie tackler and staying upright just long enough to cross the plain for his 2nd rushing touchdown of the quarter. New Trier leads 14-7 heading to the second quarter.
Quarter two starts just as hot as the first. On just the second play of the quarter, Ryder looks right, throws right, but is picked off by Huskie linebacker Jake Brooks. North takes over in promising field position, eyeing an opportunity to cut into New Trier’s lead.
On the very next play, Colasante throws an interception of his own. Trevian defensive back Alex Fairchild evaporates the Huskie momentum with his leaping grab.
Naperville North has possession again with just under seven and a half minutes in the half. The Huskies dial up a screen pass to Jack Zitko. Trevian linebacker Will Molloy comes flying in for the strip, and senior Declan O’Meara finishes the job by recovering the loose ball.
The Trevians look to get aggressive deep in Huskie territory, going for it on fourth and short. The Huskies sniff out the run left side and make the stand.
On the following snap, the ball sails over Colasante’s head and bounces out of the back of the end zone. The Trevians pick up two more points to extend their lead to 16-7. The score remains the same heading into halftime.
The Trevians are just inside the Huskie side of the field where Ryder links up with Paul Liang for another big gain, this one going for 22 yards.
A few plays later, New Trier is knocking on the door of the Huskie goal line. Ryder plows right through to make it 23-7.
The next time on offense for the Green and Blue featured some well-executed trickery. Ryder gets the snap, throws it backward to back up qb elliot baxter, who finds John Kropp streaking all alone behind the Huskie defense for a 60-yard score. New Trier converts on a 2-point conversion, increasing the lead to 31-7.
The Huskies look for a late comeback
With the Trevians scoring 24 unanswered, the Huskies need to find a way to get back into the ball game fast. Just under a minute to go in the third, Colasante shows off the wheels and scampers 57 yards to New Trier’s 23-yard line.
The Huskies stay on the ground. Jayke Collins pinballs off of a Trevian defender and his own o-linemen on his way to paydirt. The Huskies fail in their attempt going for two. Entering the fourth, they trail 13-31.
New Trier puts the game on ice
The Trevians waste no time answering back. Ryder rolls towards the Husky sideline, plants his feet at midfield, and delivers a strike to John Baxter that delivers the dagger to the visiting Huskies.
New Trier tacks on one more score and takes down Naperville North 45-13.
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