Naperville Central grounded
At its heart football is a game of ground acquisition. If you need to acquire much less ground than your opponent, the odds are you'll emerge victorious.
Naperville Central found that out the hard way on Friday night as the 11th-seeded Redhawks dropped a 24-10 Class 8A first-round decision at No. 6 Lincoln-Way East.
Naperville Central's 11 offensive drives started at an average of its own 18-yard line, while the Griffins started their 11 possessions at an average of their own 44.
"That's what Lincoln-Way East does," said Naperville Central coach Mike Stine. "They've got a great kicking game, a great defense and they take advantage of field position."
Despite the field-position disadvantage the Redhawks put up a staunch defense in the first half and trailed just 10-3 at the break, despite Lincoln-Way East (8-2) starting its first three possessions in Redhawks territory.
The first quarter was scoreless -- Naperville Central's Jeremy Jones intercepted a Spencer Stanek pass in the end zone to keep it that way -- before Lincoln-Way East broke through with Dan Cebula's 5-yard touchdown run 27 seconds into the second frame.
Naperville Central (6-4) answered right back, as long passes from Harrison Daniels to Mike Caulfield and Mike Schmitz helped set up Mark Giuliani's 32-yard field goal that made it 7-3.
When on the subsequent possession Brian Litwin recovered a Cebula fumble it looked like Naperville Central might be turning the tide.
But a three-and-out led to another short field for the Griffins. Brett Thomaston's 28-yard field goal made it 10-3 at the half.
Neither team was able to gain more than 15 yards on any first-half running play. That changed in stunning fashion on the second play of the third quarter when Lincoln-Way East's Lloyd Burchett swept around left end for a 69-yard touchdown that made it 17-3.
"I just saw an open hole, there were great blocks by the linemen and I took it," said Burchett, who completed the long run with an ankle-breaking cutback at the 20 and a leap into the end zone. "I had room to cut back and just hit it."
With a downpour dampening Naperville Central's passing offense, the Redhawks were unable to get any traction. Lincoln-Way East put the game away with Stanek's 17-yard scoring pass to Dan Fiorezna early in the fourth quarter. Naperville Central did get some consolation with Daniels' 1-yard plunge in the final minute.
"We just couldn't sustain anything offensively," Stine said. "It makes a difference when you can't run the ball and the conditions weren't very conducive to throwing it, but that's part of the game."