Aurora Christian 54, Wheaton Academy 6
Aurora Christian had a chance to accomplish another milestone for its football program.
If the Eagles could get by Wheaton Academy, a first ever undefeated regular season was within reach. With that motivation and the extra emotion that Senior Night always provides, Eagles senior Michael Friend took matters into his own hands.
Friend caught three of quarterback Jordan Roberts' 5 first-half TD passes and also had three interceptions on defense, as Aurora Christian rolled to a 54-6 win Friday night.
"A lot of our seniors have been playing together since middle school, and we have all grown together as brothers," said Friend. "When you have that type of bond, you go that extra mile for each other. We know that everybody is doing their job, staying with their assignments, it makes it a lot easier."
"It started the day after the Westmont loss last year. (A record of) 6-4 just didn't sit well with these kids," said Aurora Christian coach Don Beebe, whose team improved to 9-0 overall, 6-0 in the Private School League.
"I could see it in their eyes when I talked to them after that game, and then the next day, when over 60 kids showed up and started lifting, I knew this was going to be a special group."
Aurora Christian senior Sean O'Boyle took the game's opening kickoff all they way to the Wheaton Academy (2-7, 1-5) 38 and seven plays later Roberts hit Eric Andersen with a 13 yard TD pass that gave the Eagles an early lead.
The Eagles defense took the game over. They held the Warriors to a 3 and out and then blocked the punt attempt on fourth down which senior Joe Redmond scooped up and took into the end zone.
Aurora Christian held the Warriors without a first down on the Warrior's next possession as well and that is when Friend caught his first TD pass of the game, a 12 yard grab for a 20-0 lead.
Roberts hit senior John Smith with an 11-yard screen pass for a TD. Wheaton Academy then hit for a big play when Josh Kruel made a great leaping catch of a pass from Brain Pell for a 54 yard TD.
Roberts and Friend hooked up again on a 5-yard TD to answer the Warriors score with a four play drive that covered 66 yards in just 1:08. Friend then picked off passes on the next two Warrior possessions, both set up touchdowns that put the game out of reach before halftime.
"They have definitely built their program in a great way," said Wheaton Academy coach Ben Wilson. "They are a similar school to us, a Christian school, and that is where we want to be someday, 9-0 and conference champs, headed to the state playoffs.
"That is a dream that could be years down the road but that is where I have my sites set toward. Hats off to them, they are the best team we have seen all season, they are stacked at every position, I hope they win it all."
"I want them to enjoy this night but tomorrow we go back to work," added Beebe. "If we get beat in the first round, these seniors will be disappointed, and I don't want that for these kids so I will still be hard on them. We are going to still do the things we've been doing all year."