Sandburg football hopes to knock Neuqua Valley out of the playoffs. Coming off a narrow loss to Naperville North, Neuqua Valley football needs to win to remain playoff eligible. Their first test is a trip to Orland Park to take on Sandburg, as the Eagles enter off back-to-back losses and look to right the ship entering the postseason. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Neuqua starts the ball and gets the ground-and-pound game going. Drake Mennecke keeps it himself and scoots down the left side into Eagles territory for a 21-yard run before being decked out of bounds.
A few plays later in the red zone, Neuqua is sticking to the ground as Andy Barkley gets the hand off and sidesteps multiple defenders. He scurries down the right side and is in with a 20-yard touchdown run as the Wildcats strike first with an opening drive score.
Sandburg responds with a ground game of their own. Their first play from scrimmage is a handoff to Luke Basiorka, and he jukes out two Neuqua defenders and dashes forward into Wildcats territory, where he is being dragged out of bounds after a 61-yard run to get the ball rolling.
The game is tied at seven
Now in the red zone two plays later, Jeffrey Bellik fakes the handoff and finds the opening, racing in for the touchdown as Sandburg responds with an opening drive score of their own, to tie it up at seven.
Same score at the end of the second quarter, Sandburg is driving and looks to take the lead. The give is to Quinn Durkin, who is running into traffic, but reverses course and turns up the field for a huge gain. He is pushed out of bounds at the 41, to put the Eagles on the verge of field goal range.
Two plays later, they go to the air as Bellik, with a defender in his fac,e throws it to Durkin who comes down with it at the 29. Sandburg kicks a field goal to take their first lead of the game up 10-7 at halftime.
The Eagles get the ball to start the second half, and stick to the air as Jeffery Bellik throws the screen to Basiorka, who does the rest. With a convoy of blockers ahead of him, he’s going untouched down the sideline for a 65-yard catch and run touchdown. Sandburg opens up a 10-point lead to start the half. Basiorka also becomes the all-time rushing leader in school history!
On the ensuing Neuqua possession, they’re inside Eagles territory and go for it on fourth and nine. Mennecke rolls to his right and throws deep for Rogan Nelson. The pass falls incomplete, but a defensive pass interference call against Sandburg to give the Wildcats new life.
Wildcats keep fighting
They’re taking advantage as Barkley gets the pitch and sidesteps the defense again, and lunges in for his second touchdown, as number five is in from five yards out to cut the lead down 17-14.
But on the next Eagles drive, Basiorka gets it rolling as he takes the rock and pushes past the Neuqua defense again. He rumbles into Wildcats territory for a 38-yard run to end the third quarter.
Same drive in the fourth down, down in the red zone, Bellik takes it himself again and surges in for his second rushing touchdown of the night to put Sandburg ahead by 10 once again.
But Neuqua isn’t done yet. Mennecke drops back to pass with three defenders approaching. He manages to split all three of them and takes off running. Slicing his way past the defense and turns a potential loss into a 23-yard run to keep the Cats’ hopes alive.
Four plays later on fourth down, Mennecke is dropping back and has plenty of time to find a wide open Barkley up the sideline. He goes in for his third touchdown of the night as Neuqua closes back to three with just over two minutes left to play.
Sandburg football knocks Neuqua Valley out of playoff contention
Now, Sandburg’s ball is facing third and seven, they need a first down to claim the win. Bellik takes it himself again and runs into a wall of defenders, but with help from his linemen, he’s able to push forward and have just enough for the first down to ice the game. Sandburg football knocks Neuqua Valley out of playoff contention as they claim victory by a 24-21 score over Neuqua Valley to move to 6-2. They end their season with a huge matchup against Lincoln-Way East on Thursday night, while Neuqua Valley is eliminated from playoff contention.
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