Day game just fine for Neuqua Valley
The Neuqua Valley football team doesn't do Saturdays too often.
Friday nights under the bright lights, that's more the Wildcats' speed.
Their last day game? Two years ago this week at the same venue as Saturday's Upstate Eight Valley matinee: South Elgin.
Like all cats, these Wildcats are flexible, though, even when it comes to their schedule. In fact, Neuqua Valley linebacker Derrek Warkenthien credited the longer practice week with allowing his defense time to prepare for a South Elgin offense averaging 47 points per game.
The prolific Storm offense wasn't completely shut down in Neuqua Valley's 50-28 victory, but it was far less consistent than in previous weeks and less dangerous than the potent attack directed by Neuqua quarterback Broc Rutter. The Wildcats picked up 23 first downs and gained 449 total yards (243 rushing) on offense. Defensively, they held South Elgin to 13 first-half points to secure their second straight victory.
"Having the extra day to prepare all week really helped with our scheme," Warkenthien said. "Our coaches made a great scheme all week. We just practiced it and practiced it nonstop and paid off for us."
The South Elgin running game that averaged 244 yards per game against St. Charles East, Crystal Lake South and West Aurora was limited to 87 yards on 27 carries by the Wildcats. Kyle Ware led South Elgin with 55 yards on 13 carries, and Shawn Griffin was limited to 22 yards in 9 attempts.
"Offensively, you want to stick to the run, but it was difficult," South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said. "They did a good job on our jet game. They were very fast. Their lateral movement, their linebackers, outplayed some of our slots. Our slots have to work on their blocking a little bit."
Offensively, Neuqua Valley scored on 5 of its 6 first-half possessions using a balanced attack, rushing for 127 yards and throwing for 127. The Wildcats scored almost as many points in the first half (34) as they did in their first 3 games combined (39).
"I think it was just a matter of time until our offense got going," said Rutter, who completed 11 of 18 passes for 206 yards and 2 touchdowns.
South Elgin (2-2, 1-1) kept pace initially. After Neuqua drove 41 yards in 9 plays to take a 6-0 lead on Rutter's 1-yard run to the pylon, the Storm answered by moving 60 yards in 2 plays. A 28-yard pass from Hayden Nelson to Shawn Griffin was followed by Nelson's 32-yard scoring strike to Derek Kumerow along the right sideline. The 2-point run failed, leaving the game tied 6-6.
Neuqua went back on top 2 possessions later when Warkenthein exploded for a 47-yard touchdown run, but South Elgin responded with a 7-play, 76-yard drive, capped by a 37-yard bomb from Nelson to Nick Menken that knotted the score 13-13. Menken led the Storm with 6 catches for 87 yards.
However, the Wildcats went back on top for good on their ensuing possession, moving 53 yards in 5 plays, culminating in the first of senior running back Charlie Hunter's 3 short touchdown runs.
The Neuqua defense then changed the game's momentum with a rare three-and-out.
Rutter pressed the issue following a South Elgin punt, connecting with Evan Moore on a 47-yard pass down to the 3-yard line. Hunter scored 2 plays later and the extra point gave Neuqua a 27-13 lead with 8:14 left in the first half.
The Neuqua defense forced a second consecutive punt and the offense drove right down the field, traversing 59 yards in 8 plays. Hunter's 5-yard run made it 34-13 at the intermission
"They've got some great receivers and a high-powered offense," Neuqua Valley coach Bill Ellinghaus said of the Storm. "It wasn't until we had a couple of drives that our defense really started to buckle down and just get after it. I'm proud of our defense for being able to do that. I think our defense is playing really well right now."
The Wildcats tacked on the first 2 scores of the second half. Their lead ballooned to 50-13 on sophomore Owen Piche's 11-yard pass from Rutter with a minute remaining in the third quarter.
Senior Dominick Muoghalu led the Wildcats with 75 yards on 11 carries. Moore had 3 catches for 99 yards and Piche made 5 grabs for 39 yards.
Though slowed in the running game, South Elgin's Griffin was the game's leading receiver with 4 receptions for 131 yards, including an 81-yard, third-quarter touchdown from quarterback Jake Amrhein.