Naperville North 37, West Aurora 0
Whomever the opponent, it's all the same to Naperville North. Despite their prestigious tradition and national ranking, the Huskies' collective focus is always on the team standing across from them at the line of scrimmage.
West Aurora was dealt another painful reminder of that trait on Friday night as North rolled to a 37-0 victory, beating the Blackhawks for the 11th consecutive year since West joined the DuPage Valley Conference in 1997.
Like most games on its schedule, it was one North was expected to win. Even so, the Huskies -- as usual -- came out with purpose and a sense of urgency.
"We talk to the kids all the time about maintaining focus," North coach Larry McKeon said. "But that's something that has to come from within the players. They -- and not just the coaches -- are the ones who have to realize it's a big game whether the other team is 0-6 or 3-3 or 6-0. Our kids are pretty level-headed and they do a good job of recognizing that."
The Huskies (7-0, 5-0) -- who posted their third shutout of the year -- wasted little time in securing another trademark win. They took the opening kickoff and marched 54 yards in seven rushing plays, then capped the drive with an 11-yard TD pass from Jordan Tassio to Alex Dieckmann.
Another all-rushing drive -- highlighted by a 31-yard run by Tom Costantino (9 carries, 67 yards) led to a two-yard TD rumble by Tyrone Saunders for a 13-0 North lead after one quarter.
The versatile Tassio then took center stage. After Brian Bailin recovered a fumble deep in West territory, Tassio turned a scramble in the pocket into an 18-yard, cutback TD.
"That was supposed to be a pass play, but they blitzed so I rolled out," Tassio said. "I was able to cut back against the grain, got a nice block and it worked out well for us."
West drove all the way to North's 6-yardline -- highlighted by a 27-yard halfback option pass from D.J. Smith to Theo Hicks -- but the Blackhawks fumbled in the red zone, Danny Hess recovered and North took it 89 yards the other way on its ensuing drive.
A 38-yard screen pass from Tassio to Costantino spearheaded the drive. Tassio finished it with a play-action keeper from 13 yards out.
For Tassio, it was two rushes, two TDs to that point. He came out for good early in the third quarter after rushing three time for 30 yards and completing 4 of 9 passes for 71 yards.
"He's trouble when you get him on the perimeter, but we didn't run him very much tonight," McKeon said. "We thought we could stay in our double wing formation to move the ball so we didn't go to the spread formation very much."
Bobby Casiello blocked a West punt with just 2:26 left before halftime, and Tassio converted a 21-yard field goal a minute later to give North a commanding 30-0 lead at intermission.
It didn't get any better for West, either. On the Blackhawks' second play after halftime, quarterback John Nunnally (13 of 26, 102 yards) was sacked by Kyle Lackner. Vince Mazzone recovered the fumble at West's 14-yardline, and it took Tassio just one snap to connect with Dieckmann on a floater in the right corner of the end zone.
"They're pretty good, wouldn't you say?" West coach Buck Drach said. "They played like they're supposed to play."
West Aurora was victimized by four turnovers, the blocked punt and a mental mistake deep in its own territory (an unintended snap on fourth down) that greased the Blackhawks' skids.
"You've got to play a perfect game to even think about ever coming close to them," Drach said.