Downers Grove South football hosts an opening week matchup and the Mustangs are going to come out with a win. But, will it be the Downers Grove South Mustangs or the Metea Valley Mustangs? Metea looks to put last season’s winless campaign behind them as DGS looks to get their first week-one win since 2011. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Downers Grove South football opens the game with two touchdowns
In the first quarter, DGS gets down to the 17, Dominic West sees the play break down around him and he finds Kayden Smith. Smith makes a move and finds daylight, putting Downers Grove South up 7-0.
Metea faces a fourth down on their second possession of the game, Charles Flowers takes the snap out of the wildcat but can’t pick up the necessary yards. Downers Grove South takes over on downs.
DGS find themselves in a similar position to their last score, and this time it is Daniel Mensah who takes the handoff to the right side, cuts back to the middle of the field, and explodes into the end zone. 14-0 Downers South.
McLeod and company give Metea Valley its first touchdown of the year
At the 50, it’s a play action for the visitors as Jake McLeod rolls to his right and finds Dominic Smith who stays in bounds and makes a nice spin move past the safety. He rumbles down inside the red zone.
Inside the DGS five-yard line, Flowers gets the handoff and leaps, spinning over like he’s in a hamster wheel but he breaks the plane and cuts the deficit to 14-7.
Keon Maggit Jr. brings the momentum right back to Downers Grove South
On the ensuing kickoff, senior Keon Maggit Jr. has a wall of blockers in front of him. A burst of speed gets him past the 30-yard line and it’s going to be a foot race from there. He evades the kicker and completes an 89-yard kick-off return for a touchdown to get all the momentum right back in the favor of the home team. 20-7 DGS.
Late in the first half, Metea find themselves in a position to cut the lead again. McLeod rolls right immediately and fires downfield, but it finds the hands of Mick Rapinchuk for an interception, spoiling the Mustangs’ drive. DGS leads 20-7 at halftime.
Downers Grove South keeps pounding the rock in the second half and defeats Metea Valley
Into the third quarter now, T-formation again, and it’s Mensah Again, scoring his second rushing touchdown of the night. It’s 26-7 Downers South.
Metea is not down for the count quite yet though. McLeod finds Smith on a slant to get within the 10-yard line.
In the next play, McLeod drops back again, Anirudh Saravanan runs a nice route, and McLeod slides one to the senior. The two-point attempt was good and the Mustangs cut it to 26-15.
The rushing attack of DGS gets another look in the fourth quarter, as Mensah punches another one in for a hat trick of scores to cap off a 33-15 win for Downers Grove South. Metea Valley face Plainfield Central at home next week, while Downers Grove South football will travel up Main Street to play Downers Grove North.
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