Redhawks motor past Wheaton N.
Mike Kraft stalked the Naperville Central postgame huddle, reluctantly taking a knee for a moment before bounding back up.
"He's only got one motor," Naperville Central coach Mike Stine said of his senior defensive lineman.
Allow Kraft and the Redhawks a little giddiness.
With Friday's 28-13 win over Wheaton North at Wheaton's Rexilius Field, Naperville Central is 4-0 for the first time since 2004. Better yet, the Redhawks (4-0, 2-0 DuPage Valley Conference) welcome Wheaton Warrenville South and its 31-game regular-season winning streak into Memorial Stadium next Friday.
That '04 Redhawks team is the last DVC school to beat WW South.
"We wanted to make a statement," Kraft said, "and I think we did a pretty good job of that tonight. Now we're hoping to stop that streak."
Kraft was the epitome of a relentless Redhawks defense, registering 4 of the team's 6 sacks. Wheaton North's Mike Trumpy broke free for a 67-yard touchdown run on the Falcons' third play from scrimmage, but the Northwestern-bound senior was "held" to 83 yards the rest of the night. He finished with 153 yards on 18 carries.
"They have a good defensive front," Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said. "I don't know how much pressure they brought with linebackers tonight, but it looked like they were getting pressure with four rushers, squeezing gaps on Trumpy and doing a nice job of just cleaning up."
Said Kraft: "we had to fill our gaps. If Trumpy gets to the open field, he's gone."
Trumpy was on the sidelines for much of a first half dominated by Naperville Central's ball-control offense.
The Redhawks scored twice on 9-play drives, ran twice as many plays as Wheaton North in the first half and had 167 yards rushing by halftime.
"That was part our game plan, to limit some of their snaps," Stine said.
Nick Kukuc, in his first full game back from a shoulder injury, ran for 103 yards on 15 carries and an 11-yard touchdown in the first half. Quarterback Nick Linne took in a keeper 31 yards for a score and another for 10 to give the Redhawks a 21-7 halftime lead.
"We've been primarily a passing team the first three games; I think their defense was getting ready for the pass," Kukuc said. "Our line did a great job."
Trumpy's 16-yard touchdown run with 2:41 left in the third pulled Wheaton North within a score at 21-13. The Falcons (2-2, 0-2) had three drives for the tie stall in the fourth quarter, two on turnovers. The last was a backbreaker, Paul Wirtz picking off Taylor Graham and returning it 35 yards for a touchdown with 36 seconds left.
"We wanted to bounce back here and play a good game tonight after a poor performance a week ago," Wardynski said, "we just couldn't put both sides of the ball together. In the first half we gave up too many points. We did a better job in the second half, but the offense couldn't put drives together."