Red-hot finish for SICA Blue

It’s all coming down to the final weekend in the SICA Blue. That’s because up-and-coming Sandburg (6-2, 5-1) dominated from the start Friday night to beat No. 18 Lockport 33-20 and deal the host Porters their first conference loss.

Sandburg’s victory, as well as Thornton’s 42-12 win over Joliet, created a three-way tie for the conference lead. Lockport takes on Thornton in Harvey next week, while Sandburg is host to Lincoln-Way East.

“We just knew what we had to do to come out of here with a win,” said Dan Anthony, who had 158 yards in 28 carries and two touchdowns. “We played an amazing all-around game tonight. We have a team with a lot of talent, and I think Lockport may have overplayed the run early in the game.”

Junior quarterback James Ward picked apart Lockport’s secondary for 216 yards in the first half, leading the Eagles to a pair of first-quarter touchdowns. After a leaping interception by Tom Engel on Lockport’s first play, Ward went to work with wideout Geoff Orr. The duo combined on a 15-yard scoring strike with 9:48 to go in the first quarter, and later connected for a 48-yard TD for a 14-0 lead.

Matt Ludwig made good on a 22-yard field goal and increased Sandburg’s lead to 17-0 before Lockport finally struck. The Porters marched 69 yards in 10 plays as Steve Walker found Spencer Jensen on a deep slant route for a 31-yard scoring play with 3:05 left in the half.

But Sandburg answered with an eight-play, 71-yard drive. Ward found Orr for a 21-yard gain, and Anthony ripped off a 19-yard run that put the Eagles on the Porters’ 6. Anthony (11 first-half carries, 64 yards) bowled in from there for a 24-7 halftime lead.

Ward finished 10-of-17 passing for 237 yards.

Henry Del Valle.

Up next for Lockport: Oct. 20 at No. 13 Thornton.

1. Naperville Central

Jason Paquette ran for 145 yards in 31 carries and had a touchdown pass on a halfback-option play as the top-ranked Redhawks (8-0, 6-0) downed Glenbard East 14-0 in DuPage Valley action.

With the Redhawks ahead only 7-0 early in the fourth quarter, Paquette took a pitch from quarterback Phil Horvath and lofted a 20-yard pass to Dan Passarelli for the game-clinching touchdown.

“We’ve been working on it all season and finally got a chance to put it in there tonight,” Paquette said. “It slipped out a little bit. I’m not much of a quarterback. [Passarelli] made a great catch.”

Horvath, who was 7-of-20 passing for 86 yards, threw a 29-yard touchdown pass to Tyke Spencer in the second quarter. Horvath threw three interceptions to help Glenbard East keep the game close.

The Redhawks outgained Glenbard East (3-5, 2-4) 303-91.

Up next: Friday at home vs. West Chicago.

2. Providence

Mike Mentz rushed for 119 yards and four touchdowns in 13 attempts as the Celtics (8-0, 6-0) blew out St. Laurence 61-14 in the Catholic Metro Blue. Providence jumped to a 26-7 halftime lead and never looked back.

St. Laurence fell to 0-8, 0-6 and has lost 15 consecutive games.

Up next: Friday at home vs. Loyola.

5. Joliet Catholic

The best way to describe Joliet Catholic’s 40-15 win over Catholic Metro White opponent Marist might be “the calm before the storm.”

That’s because the Hilltoppers’ (7-1, 6-0) win over the Redhawks (4-4, 3-3) sets up Joliet Catholic’s game with No. 12 Carmel next Friday, which will determine the conference champion.

Running back J.R. Zwierzynski will certainly make things difficult for Carmel as he did for Marist. He rushed for 225 yards in 22 carries, including three touchdowns (8, 18 and 72 yards). Teammate Chris Gruber had 122 yards in 11 carries, including a pair of touchdowns (7, 69 yards).

Last season the Hilltoppers handed Carmel a 12-point loss, but the improvement of the Corsairs (8-0, 6-0) could make for a more interesting game this time around.

Up next: Friday at home vs. No. 12 Carmel.

7. Richards

Jason Orozco ran for 72 yards and two touchdowns in seven carries as the Bulldogs (8-0, 6-0) pounded Oak Lawn 48-0 in the SICA Orange. Chris Humbles ran for a score and threw for another, while Duran Johnson contributed two TD receptions.

The victory sets up a showdown with fellow unbeaten Thornton Fractional South next Friday for the conference title.

“I consider the Padjen boys (Tom and Bob) the best in the business,” said Richards coach Gary Korhonen of T.F. South’s head coach and defensive coordinator. “I know that they’ll have his boys ready to play us.”

Up next: Friday at No. 14 Thornton Fractional South.

8. Riverside-Brookfield

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Tim Brasic was 19-of-25 passing for 354 yards and five touchdowns–all in the first half–as the Bulldogs (8-0, 6-0) rolled in the Suburban Prairie White. Shatone Powers caught seven passes for 85 yards and two touchdowns for R-B.

Up next: Friday at home vs. Kaneland.

9. Hinsdale South

The Hornets (8-0) defeated No. 16 Hinsdale Central 35-27 in a West Suburban crossover. See story, Back Page.

Up next: Friday at home vs. Proviso East.

11. McHenry

Nick Guardyak rushed 27 times for 293 yards and six touchdowns and the host Warriors blew open a close game by scoring four times within a span of 4:49 span in the third quarter to rout Crystal Lake South 63-21.

McHenry (8-0, 8-0) won its 39th consecutive league contest and wrapped up its 12th conference title in the last 13 years.

With his team up just 28-21 at the half, Guardyak capped a long opening drive with a 23-yard TD run with 5:53 remaining in the third quarter. One play after a successful onside kick, Guardyak scored on a 56-yarder for his 29th touchdown of the season and a 42-21 lead 13 seconds later. Mike Johnson’s interception set up another score, McHenry quarterback Jon Clements hitting James D’Angelo for a 14-yard TD with 2:03 left in the third. On the next series, Scooter McIntosh intercepted another Justin Long pass and returned it 47 yards for a score with 1:04 remaining to cap a long third quarter for South (5-3, 5-3) and make it 56-21.

McIntosh added an 18-yard score midway through the fourth quarter to end the scoring.

In the first half alone, Guardyak had 16 rushes for 171 yards and touchdowns runs of 4, 8, 43 and 56 yards. For the Gators, Long completed 14-of-22 passes for 259 yards. He finished 15-for-31 for 281 yards.

Up next: Friday at Cary-Grove.

13. Thornton

Quarterback Antonio Tribble ran for two touchdowns and passed for two more as the Wildcats (7-1, 5-1) defeated Joliet 42-12 in the SICA Blue game. Tribble was 10-of-21 passing for 179 yards and ran for 139 yards in 17 carries.

Robert Nichols rushed for a touchdown and passed for another to lead Joliet (1-7, 0-6).

Up next: Oct. 20 at home vs. No. 18 Lockport.

16. Hinsdale Central

The Red Devils (7-1) fell to No. 9 Hinsdale South 35-27 in the West Suburban crossover. See story, Back Page.

Up next: Oct. 20 at Oak Park.

19. Morgan Park

Cinque Chapman rushed for 188 yards and three touchdowns in 20 carries as the Mustangs (7-1, 5-0) won in the Public Illini Southeast. Chapman scored on runs of 17, 10 and 16.

Jerohn Fields added two TD passes for Morgan Park.

Rasheem Green was 14-of-22 passing for 226 yards and two touchdowns to lead Chicago Vocational (3-5, 2-3).

Up next: Public League playoffs.