Glenbard North 36, Wheaton North 13

Tyler Doll doesn't strike an imposing figure on the football field, at all of 165 pounds.

Don't underestimate the Glenbard North junior. Or for that matter, the rest of the Panthers.

Doll had a staggering 38 carries for 186 yards, and Evan Watkins threw for 144 yards and 2 touchdowns in Glenbard North's convincing 36-13 win over Wheaton North in the DuPage Valley Conference opener for both teams Friday in Wheaton.

"Our line was great up front and gave us a great push all night," Doll said. "This is a big win for us, gives us some momentum going into next week against Wheaton Warrenville South."

Glenbard North (2-1, 1-0) never trailed, taking a 10-0 lead at the half on Brian Hackett's 22-yard field goal and a 25-yard touchdown pass from Watkins to Matt Ng.

The Panthers went ahead 17-0 with 5:23 left in the third quarter as Watkins executed a play-action pass to perfection, rolling left and finding tight end Jim Montgomery all alone in the end zone for a 25-yard score. Both of Watkins' touchdown passes came off play-fakes to Doll.

"We kept running the ball and running the ball," Glenbard North coach Ryan Wilkens said, "and then we get the big kid (Watkins) on play-action, and he does a good job with that. Evan is pretty darn good."

Wheaton North (2-1, 0-1) finally got on the board with 1:34 left in the third quarter as Mike Trumpy scored on a 55-yard run.

Trumpy, who later added a 5-yard touchdown, went over the 200-yard mark for the second straight week, going for 234 yards on 23 carries.

"He's unbelievable," Falcons coach Matt Foster said. "A one-man show."

But Glenbard North answered Trumpy's long touchdown, Doll carrying the ball 6 times in a 7-play drive capped off by his 3-yard touchdown and a 24-7 lead.

Doll later had 9 carries in a drive that ended with Watkins' 3-yard TD keeper.

"Once we got the lead, we just wanted to eat the clock and try to get some more points," Doll said.

"Tyler just runs behind the big guys and looks for the cutbacks," Wilkens said, "and he can make something out of nothing at times."

Foster tipped his cap to Glenbard North but couldn't help lamenting the first-half miscues that dug his team an early hole. Wheaton North lost 2 fumbles in the first half and twice missed on open deep pass attempts.

"We made lots of mistakes," Foster said. "We had momentum and then shot ourselves in the foot. They're a good football team and took advantage of it."