One more time, Tigers find a way to pull out victory
How much leg was left in Nick Immekus?
How much magic was left in Wheaton Warrenville South?
Plenty. On both fronts.
Immekus and the Tigers pulled off another miracle victory Friday night - a 16-14 DuPage Valley Conference thriller over visiting Glenbard North.
Rallying from a 14-0 fourth-quarter deficit, Immekus capped the stunning comeback by blasting a 45-yard field goal with 1.6 seconds left to send the home crowd into a frenzy.
Not bad for the team's starting center.
It was the third come-from-behind win this season for the Tigers (4-0, 2-0), including a season-opening overtime decision over Hinsdale Central where they rallied from a 3-touchdown deficit.
WW South somehow finds a way. Always, it seems.
This one appeared close to hopeless in the waning minutes. WW South's Mack Tracey scored on a 6-yard reverse run, but on the extra point Glenbard North's Steve Cook burst around the edge to block the kick.
The Panthers still led 14-13. Immekus could only dream about another chance.
"That's what I wanted - one more chance to prove that I can do it," said Immekus, who said his previous career-best was a 37-yarder. "Just forget about the missed PAT, and just get back after it."
Glenbard North (2-2, 1-1) got the ball with four minutes, 24 seconds left. Giving the ball to Tyler Doll five straight times, the Panthers worked the clock under two minutes.
A fumble out of bounds, however, allowed the Tigers to save a timeout for fourth down. With no timeouts left they took possession at their own 25 with 59.1 seconds left.
"Playing for Wheaton South, you refuse to lose," said Tigers running back Peter Jarrett, who rushed for 68 yards on 17 carries. "No matter what the score is, no matter what time is on the clock. We always have a chance to win and we always find a way to do it."
A 38-yard pass from Joe Furco to Orlando Ross on third-and-16 followed by a 15-yard strike to Tracey, who had 6 catches for 162 yards, set up the field goal. The way Immekus pounded the ball, it would have been good from well beyond 50 yards.
The lineup was a little odd. Furco, the quarterback, long-snapped to holder Joey Krob for Immekus, the center, to boot the game-winner.
Whatever. It worked.
"We work hard at that in practice," said Tigers coach Ron Muhitch. "We don't shortchange special teams and we don't shortchange two-minute drill."
It was a crushing loss for the Panthers, who opened the scoring with a 71-yard first-quarter touchdown pass from Evan Watkins to Mike Carev. Doll, who had 128 yards on 30 carries, boosted the lead to 14-0 with a 9-yard run midway through the third quarter.
The Charleston Soko-led Panthers defense held the Tigers' offense at bay until a fumble set them up at Glenbard North's 30. Five plays later - on fourth-and-1 - Furco, who threw for 234 yards, lobbed a 10-yard touchdown pass to Dan Hohenstein to slice the gap to 14-7.
"The effort was there," said Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens. "Shoulda, woulda, coulda, but we've got Naperville North next week. We have no time to sit around and feel sorry for ourselves."
Immekus and the Tigers may take a little time to enjoy this one, but then it's on to fellow unbeaten Naperville Central.
They'll soon find out if there's any magic left in the tank.
kschmit@dailyherald.com