Glenbard North runs past Neuqua Valley
There's no secret why Glenbard North has won seven straight games. It's simple.
“We play good defense and run the football,” Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens said.
Neuqua Valley scored slightly over its average but Glenbard North came up with the defensive plays it needed, 2 interceptions apiece by Tyrik Henderson and Jace James.
And the Panthers ran the ball. Devion Hodges carried 38 times for 276 yards and 4 touchdowns and Isaiah Hawkins added 45 yards and 2 more scores to pace Glenbard North's 42-28 DuPage Valley Conference victory in Naperville.
The Panthers lacked 1,000-yard rusher Vittorio Tricase, out injured. Behind linemen Dan Fletcher, Jon Czernek, Ian Jefferson, Joe Vazquez and Juan Jadue, Hodges' second straight game of more than 200 yards put him in the 1,000-yard club as well.
“I think we planned off the weather,” Hodges said. “We just wanted to run the ball. Powerhouse football, Glenbard North football. That's how it's always been and I don't think it's changing any time soon.”
Glenbard North (7-2, 6-2) led 13-8 at halftime, a lead clinched by James' first interception, in his own end zone.
Neuqua Valley (6-3, 5-3) took a brief 15-13 lead at 10:33 of the third quarter on a 54-yard pass to Isaiah Robertson from Jack Stankoven, but Glenbard North gained separation with 2 successive touchdown drives.
Henderson's interception and 36-yard return set up the second one, a 3-yard Hawkins burst for a 28-15 lead at 6:57 of the third quarter. The Panthers never trailed again.
“Coach put me in the position,” said Henderson, who increased the Panthers' total to 17 interceptions this season. “I was just glad I was there to contribute to my team.”
“They've got some athletes back there. We had to go a little more to the pass game this game,” said Stankoven, who passed for 258 yards, 143 of them to Robertson.
Neuqua Valley battled back on touchdown grabs by Mike Wisinski and Brett Borske, but each volley was answered by Hodges on the ground. He clinched it with a 56-yard touchdown run with 2:31 left in the game.
In the first quarter Neuqua Valley's Nick Osikowicz broke a 50-yard touchdown run, but between him being banged up and Neuqua trying to catch up through the air the Wildcats finished with 94 yards rushing.
“High school football is still high school football,” coach Bill Ellinghaus said, “and when you can run the football you're going to have success. We struggled running the football tonight and they had some success running the football.”