Waubonsie Valley senior Demari Wilson was looking for man-to-man coverage. And he found it.
With the host Warriors holding onto a narrow three-point lead in the fourth quarter last Friday against Oak Park-River Forest, Wilson made two substantial plays.
On fourth-and-4, Wilson broke across the middle and bobbled the ball before securing a 7-yard catch. Two plays later, senior quarterback Ethan Nelson connected with Wilson on a 22-yard touchdown pass that punctuated a 23-14 victory.
“All night they were leaving the middle wide open so we kept on attacking that area of the field,” Wilson said. “They had a linebacker man-to-man covering me.
“Ethan threw a great pass where I could catch the ball, and I was able to break a tackle and score.”
That was the first touchdown of his career.
“It was awesome,” he said.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Wilson has the bulk to play on the interior and the athleticism to play in space. He’s a two-way starter for Waubonsie (1-0), which plays Friday night at Libertyville.
He also starts at defensive end, where his quickness as a pass rusher on the edge is a crucial component for the Warriors.
“It’s not easy in high school football to start at tight end and defensive end,” Waubonsie coach Paul Murphy said. “Demari goes 100 percent of every second on every play.
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“As a receiver, he does a very good job of finding the opening and making himself available to the quarterback.”
His quickness off the line has become a defining trait, enabling him to break free in the secondary and exploit open seams as a tight end.
He has learned how to balance the two roles.
“I listen to what our coaches tell the linebackers about what they are supposed to do when a slot receiver approaches them,” Wilson said. “I take that on offense and try to avoid getting jammed or get taken off of my route.
“Knowing what a defensive player is thinking is very helpful to me on offense.”
Whether with a sack or a big catch, Wilson relishes the spotlight.
“Playing for the fans is my greatest enjoyment,” Wilson said. “Everybody loves being able to play in a stadium full of people cheering you on.”
Impressive debut: Despite its season-opening loss against Benet, Naperville North coach Sean Drendel saw some strong play from his defense.
Senior defensive back Michael Miranda had an interception and fumble recovery. And in his varsity debut, junior Connor Corrigan flashed tremendous potential as a dynamic pass rusher with a sack and a pass breakup.
Wearing No. 13, the 6-1, 195-pound Corrigan proved to be unlucky presence for the Redwings. He has the size to play at the line of scrimmage and the speed to play in space.
Corrigan also made an impressive tackle in kickoff coverage.
“He just keeps getting better,” Drendel said. “He has a relentless motor. He has a fast twitch. He’s a terror on screen plays, pass sets and inside running plays. It is going to be super exciting to see him as he gains more weight and strength.”
Power schedule: A year ago, Naperville Central lost four games to teams that went a combined 45-6, including an undefeated state champion in Cary-Grove and two teams in Lincoln-Way East and Marist that reached the state semifinals.
This year’s schedule is equally daunting.
Naperville Central (0-1) plays host Friday night to Lincoln-Way East (1-0). The Griffins feature the state’s top-rated senior in all-purpose back A.J. Henning, a Michigan recruit.
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Naperville Sun.