Football Friday Week 5
Welcome back to the Week 5 edition of Football Friday. You may have noticed that none of these games actually happened on Friday, but let’s not get bogged down in semantics the way that our local teams were bogged down by thunderstorms. Let’s begin with the only game to start on Friday night, Dekalb at Metea Valley.
Dekalb at Metea Valley
The Barbs visited Metea a year ago and left with a comfortable victory. But the Mustangs are looking to turn the tables on their new conference rivals.
The Mustangs defense hasn’t made a huge impact yet this season, but in a 7-7 ballgame, Ryan Bingham with a huge play late in the first half, taking the interception 77 yards for the touchdown! 14-7 Mustangs.
With the game tied at 14, the game was postponed at halftime due to lightning.
The game would pick up at 11am on Saturday and after a back and forth 3rd quarter, Dekalb takes the lead with under 4 minutes to play behind Jalen Redmond, one of his two touchdowns in the game 31-24 Barbs lead.
The Mustangs respond quickly as quarterback Logan Frederick with a beautiful pass to CJ Wilcox, behind the defense all the way for a 60-yard touchdown on third and 8!
Metea down 31-30 and Coach Parpet goes for two, the Dekalb defense provides pressure as Frederick’s pass is deflected and incomplete. Mustangs lose a two day heartbreaker by a single point. Dekalb moves to 3-2 on the year with the win.
Naperville North at Naperville Central
Jumping over to the Crosstown Classic, being played at Naperville Central instead of North Central College because of the weather postponement and schedule conflicts with North Central College football.
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good and sometimes it’s good to be both, the Huskies get a hand on this Sam Jackson pass, but a great contested grab from Keon Green provides the first score of the game. 7-0 Central.
In the 3rd quarter, still 7-0 Redhawks when Elijah Jordan takes the handoff up the middle and all the way across the goal line. Central goes up 14-0 after the 33 yard run.
A few minutes later, Huskies running a little wildcat with Matt Maschmeier, the senior Swiss army knife rolls left, then right before finding Stephan Williams for the touchdown. North right back in it down 14-7!
In the 4th quarter, Redhawks driving again as Sam Jackson finds Jadon Thompson on the slant to put the game out of reach. Naperville Central wins the Crosstown Classic trophy for the 2nd year in a row and improves to 2-3 on the season.
Neuqua Valley at Waubonsie Valley
The War of 204 held in Aurora this year at Waubonsie Valley, the only cancelled game being made up at night. The Wildcats and Warriors split their matchups last year with both teams winning at home.
Neuqua Valley up 7-0 in the 2nd quarter when WC gets the screen game going. Ethan Nelson finds sophomore running back Antonio Torres for a 52 yard touchdown. Ball game tied up at 7.
Into the 2nd half and the Neuqua Valley offense continues to click on all cylinders this season, Mark Gronowoski with his 2nd TD pass of the game to Sean Larkin from 17 yards out. Wildcats rolling up 28-7.
After another touchdown from Antonio Torres, Waubonsie driving looking to make it a one score game when Trey Borske makes the interception and returns in 70 yards the other way for the touchdown. Neuqua Valley gets the bragging rights this year and moves to 4-1 on the year. Third straight loss for Waubonsie.
Marian Catholic at Benet Academy
The only game originally scheduled for a Saturday start was Benet Academy hosting Marian Catholic. The Redwings and the Spartans no longer in the same Division, but playing as a crossover game as part of the 24 team CCL/ESCC conference.
After Benet blocks a punt four plays into the game, the fifth play goes for a touchdown as Colin Gillespie hits Jacob Snell for the short touchdown pass. 7-0 BA.
Nick Bafia picks off a Marian pass on the next drive, leading to another Colin Gillespie touchdown, this one to Augie Mazza from six yards out. 14-0 Benet less than five minutes into the game.
That would be all the Redwings would need in this one as one drive later, Justin Young with a 29 scamper to paydirt. Benet builds a 38-0 halftime lead and holds on from there. A perfect 5-0 start to the year as the Redwings earn playoff eligibility.
Looking at the standings, first we stay with the CCL/ESCC Orange Division. As I mentioned, Benet is 5-0 and all alone in first place, with the dangerous roadrunners from Nazareth hot on their heels. All four orange division teams were victorious in Week 5.
The schedule next week gives Benet what may be the toughest test of the season so far with a trip to St. Laurence, the Redwings can officially clinch a playoff berth with a win. Nazareth plays host to De La Salle.
The DVC once again finds Neuqua Valley alone on top at 4-1 and a perfect 2-0 conference record. Dekalb in 2nd place followed by Naperville Central, boosted by a pair of conference wins. Metea Valley and Naperville North still clinging to post season hopes.
Huge conference matchups next week as Neuqua Valley hosts Naperville Central as the Wildcats could just about clinch the conference with a win. Waubonsie travels to Dekalb looking to shake a three game skid and get back to .500. Naperville North and Metea Valley play in a loser leaves town game. Whoever comes up on the short end of that one will be eliminated from playoff contention.
It should be another fantastic week of high school football action, hopefully Mother Nature helps us out a bit more, but we’ll see you after week 6. For Football Friday, I’m Justin Cornwell.
Check out the IHSA Schedule and Standings.
