York travels to Naperville Central for an IHSA 8A Football Semifinal. The Redhawk rowdies are excited for good reasons, as Naperville Central is in the semifinals for the first time since 2013. To get here, the Redhawks beat Lyons Township 24-7. A fifth trip to state is on the line for the Redhawks, while the Dukes look to get there for the first time in program history. The visitors are back in the semifinals for a third straight year after taking down Warren Township in the quarters. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Bruno Massel leads York on an 85-yard drive early in the IHSA Football Semifinal
The Hawks punt away on their first drive, so Gavin Ellison makes the best of it by booming a kick inside the fifteen-yard line.
The Dukes may be pinned deep, but QB Bruno Massel keeps the ball himself. The state qualifier in track picks up a first down and much more, as he takes the ball past midfield.
Massel keeps the play alive on fourth down and avoids trouble until finding Fintan Helm. He makes the catch and forward progress is in his favor for a first down!
Massel ends the drive with his legs. He keeps the ball and bounces off some defenders like a pinball before crossing the goal line for the touchdown. York strikes first with a 7-0 lead.
Naperville Central’s Aiden Clark breaks loose for a 42-yard touchdown
Third and long on Central’s next drive, but when you have Aiden Clark it’s never over. The Redhawk takes advantage of deep coverage and finds a gap for a 42-yard touchdown! Just like that, this game is tied at seven heading into the second quarter.
Hawks have possession, and Sebastian Hayes rolls before launching one downfield to Garrett Nichols. The honorable mention All-State utility man reels it in for a 40-plus yard play into enemy territory.
The drive stalls but Ellison comes to the rescue by nailing a 40-yard field goal to give the Redhawks a 10-7 lead.
York fumbles but regroups and retakes the lead against Naperville Central
Massel and the Dukes hope to get points before the half, but he loses the ball while running for a first down. There is a scramble for the pigskin until Nick Zbylut falls on top of it. The score remains 10-7 Redhawks at halftime.
It’s Central’s ball to start the second half. Hayes runs away from Notre Dame commit Joe Reiff but can’t escape from Evan Gaughan, and he’s taken down.
The Dukes are with the ball and Massel’s throw is on the money to Hayden Alexander to move the chains.
The drive caps off with Jimmy Conners, who runs to the outside and into the endzone for a Dukes touchdown. They retake the lead 14-10.
Eddy Sica picks off Sebastian Hayes before a big fourth down conversion from York
After an Ellison field goal, it’s 14-13 York in the fourth quarter. The Dukes’ defense continues to haunt Hayes, Eddy Sica reads the pass like a book and picks it off.
The Dukes pass up a long field goal and go for it on fourth down. Massel displays an acrobatic throw that’s deflected by a Redhawk but caught by Simon Kodosky to keep the drive rolling.
The ball is at the one, and Massel is into the endzone for his second rushing touchdown. The Dukes go for two to make it a two-possession game, but Zbylut flies into your picture to make the stop. It’s a 20-13 ball game with over three minutes left.
York moves on to the program’s first-ever IHSA Football State Championship appearance after beating Naperville Central
It’s now do-or-die time for the Hawks, as they drive down the field with under two minutes remaining. Hayes drops back and completes a pass to Vince Bern for a first down.
On fourth down, Hayes looks for DeShaun Williams, but the pass is knocked down, and York takes over. Moments later, on fourth and one, Massel takes an intentional safety as time expires, and York defeats Naperville Central 20-15.
The Dukes move on to the IHSA Football State Championship game for the first time in school history. They will look for revenge in the State Final as the Dukes play Loyola, who’s eliminated them in the last two postseasons.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
