Thornton tried its best to allow Lincoln-Way East into the game in the teams’ SICA Blue conference opener Friday. But when it came down to it, the No. 9 Wildcats turned to quarterback Antonio Tribble to keep the upstart Griffins at a safe distance.
Tribble ran for two touchdowns and accounted for 247 yards of offense to help Thornton to a sloppy 28-12 victory at Lincoln-Way East. Thornton (3-0, 1-0) turned the ball over six times and was penalized 13 times for 130 yards, including infractions that negated a 42-yard TD pass and an interception.
But Tribble and Thornton’s hard-hitting defense were enough to tame the Griffins (2-1, 0-1). Tribble, a 6-foot, 180-pound junior, iced the game with a 48-yard touchdown run with 2 minutes 10 seconds left to give the Wildcats a 28-6 advantage. He also rushed for a 9-yard TD in the second quarter and totaled 137 yards rushing in 17 attempts. He completed 6-of-9 passes for 110 yards.
Thornton’s defense pressured Lincoln-Way East quarterback Justin Powell all game. Michael Berry had one sack and two blocked passes and Timothy Jamison had two sacks and a blocked pass to lead the defense. Marcus Randle El rushed for a 5-yard TD and completed a 60-yard halfback option to David Davis to stake Thornton to a 20-6 lead early in the third quarter.
Sean Duncan.
Up next for Thornton: Sept. 15 at home vs. Homewood-Flossmoor.
2. Naperville Central
Brad Matthews returned an interception 59 yards for a score to propel the Redhawks (3-0, 1-0) to a 38-15 victory over No. 20 Wheaton Warrenville South in the DuPage Valley. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Friday at West Aurora.
3. Naperville North
Steve Sarm and Mike Costantino combined to run for 327 yards while scoring four touchdowns in the Huskies’ 40-20 victory over previously unbeaten Wheaton North in a DuPage Valley game. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Friday at home vs. West Chicago.
4. Maine South
Quarterback Tony Wnek was 11-of-15 passing for 74 yards and three touchdowns as the Hawks (3-0) scored on five of their first six possessions en route to a 49-0 blowout of Niles North. Mark Ori was on the receiving end of two of Wnek’s TDs.
Up next: Sept. 15 at home vs. Maine West.
5. Providence
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Nick Stanton was 9-of-13 passing for 205 yards and threw three touchdown passes as the Celtics (3-0, 1-0) defeated De La Salle 33-14 in the Catholic Metro Blue.
Mike Mentz added 99 yards and two touchdowns in 24 carries for Providence.
De La Salle (1-2, 0-1) led 14-13 in the second quarter after Terrence Young scored on a 25-yard pass from Shederick Mossman. Mentz then scored from 2 yards out just before half to give the Celtics the lead for good.
Up next: Friday at St. Rita.
6. Joliet Catholic
Rebounding from a disappointing loss to Mt. Carmel, Joliet Catholic (2-1, 1-0) beat up on St. Patrick 27-6 in a Catholic Metropolitan White opener.
The Hilltoppers led 7-0 after the first half thanks to Chris Gruber’s 51-yard first-quarter touchdown run. St. Patrick (2-1, 0-1) cut the lead to 7-6 late in the third quarter when quarterback Brian Joyce hit Anthony Risa with a 2-yard pass.
But the Hilltoppers responded on their next three possessions, first when senior running back J.R. Zwierzynski, who had 148 yards in 17 carries, went 48 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth. Hilltoppers quarterback Craig Tomasino then found Gruber wide open for touchdown passes of 36 and 47 yards.
Gruber gained 127 yards in 15 carries.
Up next: Friday at Marian Catholic.
8. Lincoln-Way Central
Anthony Bagnara scored two touchdowns–one rushing and one receiving–and blocked a punt that was returned for a key third-quarter touchdown as the Knights (3-0, 1-0) downed Bloom 39-18 in SICA Blue action.
Bagnara’s 76-yard TD reception from Brian Dornbos midway through the third gave Lincoln-Way Central a 26-18 lead. On the ensuing possession, Bagnara blocked Joe Sanchez’s punt and Jason Depolo recovered for an insurance touchdown, which gave the Knights a 15-point lead.
Marc Lopez had 72 yards and a touchdown in 10 carries to lead Bloom (0-3, 0-1), which once led 18-16 in the second quarter.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Sandburg.
10. Richards
Ricky Rodriguez scored three rushing touchdowns as the Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0) routed Reavis 41-0 in their SICA Orange opener. Jason Orozco, who scored six touchdowns in last week’s victory over Morgan Park, was held out of the end zone but had a team-high 139 yards rushing.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Oak Forest.
11. Riverside-Brookfield
Tim Brasic completed 23-of-37 passes for 462 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Bulldogs (3-0, 1-0) rolled over Lemont 41-14. Shatone Powers had 14 receptions for 265 yards and two TDs.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Evergreen Park.
12. Hinsdale South
Greg Cozzi rushed for 98 yards in 10 carries and scored on 53-yard run in the fourth quarter as the Hornets (3-0, 1-0) defeated Downers Grove South 35-27 in the West Suburban Silver. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Willowbrook.
13. Glenbard North
Frank Pope was 14-of-24 passing for 196 yards and five touchdowns as the Panthers (3-0, 1-0) rebounded from an early deficit to down West Aurora 34-13 in the DuPage Valley contest.
West Aurora (1-2, 0-1) jumped out to a 10-0 lead after Kris Jenkins returned the opening kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and Daniel Real kicked a 32-yard field goal.
Up next: Friday at Niles West.
14. Prospect
Jason Rodriguez scored on a 10-yard run and Scott Spague returned a fumble 34 yards for another score as the Knights (3-0) shut out Barrington 17-0.
Up next: Friday at Conant.
15. Dunbar
Beat Sterling 32-22 Friday at Sterling.
Up next: Friday at Gately vs. Julian.
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17. McHenry
The storm clouds and flashes of lightning that threatened McHenry’s McCracken Field were nothing compared to the storm that hit in the second half.
McHenry rebounded from a lethargic first half and put the defensive clamps on visiting Jacobs en route to a 49-21 Fox Valley Conference win. The Warriors (3-0, 3-0), who allowed 242 first-half yards, surrendered only five yards after halftime sparked by defensive tackle Eric Fitzgerald.
The McHenry offense piled up 563 yards, almost evenly split between the rush and the pass. Nick Guardyak led the rushing effort with 201 yards on 27 carries while quarterback Jon Clements completed 14-of-19 passes for 280 yards and four touchdowns.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Crystal Lake Central.
18. Fremd
The Vikings led Wheeling 14-0 in the second quarter of a game that was suspended due to the weather. The game will resume at noon Saturday.
Up next: Friday at home vs. Hersey.
20. Wheaton W. South
Dan Brauer was 13-of-27 passing for 156 yards as the Tigers (1-2, 0-1) lost to No. 2 Naperville Central 38-15 in the DuPage Valley game. See story, Back Page.
Up next: Friday at Glenbard East.