Neuqua holds off Naperville Central in crosstown thriller

Trent Snyder couldn't bear the thought of another game slipping through Neuqua Valley's fingertips. Not after the night he had.

And then, fate finally smiled on the Wildcats.

A Naperville Central 29-yard field goal for the win with 10 seconds left hit the left upright, and Neuqua Valley held on for a 20-18 win Friday night in Naperville.

Snyder was a beast carrying the ball for Neuqua Valley, gaining 226 yards on 30 carries with 2 touchdowns. But he lost a fumble with just less than two minutes left - Neuqua's third turnover - giving Naperville Central the opportunity to steal a win.

Snyder could only sit, watch and stew.

"So many thoughts were going through my mind," Snyder said. "I gotta tip my hat to the defense. Way to come out in a situation like that and hold them. In crunch time they came up big."

Last year Naperville Central stormed back from a 17-0 halftime deficit to beat Neuqua 21-17. This time Neuqua (1-1) could celebrate its first win over its cross-town rival.

"You can update your Facebook status now," Neuqua coach Bryan Wells told a giddy bunch of Wildcats.

Neuqua sophomore kicker Ryan Mulhern - who earlier booted a school-record 42-yard field goal to end the first half - made a 24-yarder with 6:20 left in the fourth quarter for what proved to be the winning points.

It was a huge win for Neuqua, desperate to avoid a repeat of last season's 0-3 start following a tough 1-point loss to Naperville North in Week 1.

"A game like this, we've been at the other end too often where three or four plays were the difference in a game," Wells said. "That field goal at the end of the half proved to be it. You just don't know that at the time.

"We managed to get it done when we needed it."

Mulhern's first field goal gave Neuqua a 10-6 halftime lead, and the Wildcats appeared in command up 17-6 after a 1-yard Snyder touchdown run with 4:14 left in the third quarter.

Naperville Central (1-1) pulled within 17-12 on its next drive as Hayden Daniels outjumped a defender for a 20-yard touchdown grab from Ian Lewandowski. Daniels, who threw for 191 yards, earlier connected with Chris Levine for an 18-yard scoring strike.

The Redhawks took their first lead in stunning fashion in the first few seconds of the fourth quarter. Conor Philbin stepped in front of a Neuqua pass and returned an interception 28 yards for a touchdown and 18-17 lead.

"I don't know when the last time we had an easy game anywhere," Naperville Central coach Mike Stine said, "and we've been fortunate enough to win a few on the last play. We got ourselves in a situation to have a chance; the ball just didn't spin our way today. But I'm proud as heck of our kids the way they battled."

After Philbin's interception Neuqua drove 62 yards in 12 plays - all but one on the ground - to set up Mulhern's field goal. Neuqua churned out 299 yards rushing, 207 coming in the second half when the Wildcats ran the ball all but three times.

"Our offensive line has played two very, very good ballgames," Wells said. "I'm very pleased with them. That was a unit that we were hopeful for and they're coming up big."