Huskies keep pressure on Glenbard N.
A few years from now, Kevin Sheehan could be sitting in his college dorm watching Evan Watkins on TV playing quarterback for Northwestern.
"I'm going to look back at this game and say, 'I played against that kid,' " Sheehan said.
That will be a fun story to tell.
Sheehan intercepted Glenbard North's quarterback three times, one returned for a touchdown and one to snuff out a late rally in Naperville North's 27-20 win in Friday's rematch of the 2007 Class 8A championship game.
"It's easy when you have the defensive line putting pressure on him every time. He's got no time to throw," Sheehan said. "Right place, right time."
The Huskies' swarming defense did set the tone up front. Naperville North (5-0, 3-0 DuPage Valley Conference) held Glenbard North running back Tyler Doll to 45 yards on 22 carries and sacked Watkins 5 times. The Huskies also forced 2 fumbles.
"We knew if we could stop the run, we could stop their offense," said Huskies defensive lineman Tim Wiedenbacher, who had 14 tackles and 3 sacks. "Watkins, we had to make sure we contain him, keep him inside."
"We played them twice last year - we know they like to run at you and bring people," Glenbard North coach Ryan Wilkens said. "They pressured us and we didn't react very well."
Naperville North couldn't have scripted the first half much better.
Pat Waite returned the game's opening kickoff to the Glenbard North 18, setting up Matt Manade's 11-yard touchdown pass to Nick Mlady. Glenbard North stopped Naperville North on fourth-and-goal on the Huskies' next drive, but two plays later Sheehan picked off a Watkins heave under heavy pressure and returned it 11 yards for a score and 14-0 lead.
"Blex Vixama hit him right as he was throwing," Sheehan said. "My job was easy. The ball was right there."
Glenbard North got on the board with a 35-yard Watkins scramble and score, but Naperville North answered immediately, Waite going untouched around left end for an 87-yard touchdown. Jack Roberts' 12-yard touchdown run gave the Huskies a 27-6 halftime lead.
They'd need it.
Glenbard North (2-3, 1-2) held the Huskies without a first down in the second half. Doll's second touchdown run with 11:56 left in the fourth quarter made it 27-20.
Glenbard North had two last chances to score in the final 4:14. Sacks by Vixama and Wiedenbacher stuffed a drive inside the Naperville North 40. Glenbard North's last gasp in the final minute ended when Sheehan intercepted a deep Watkins heave on fourth down.
"Our defense stepped up again and again and made big plays," Naperville North coach Larry McKeon said.
Watkins completed 8 of 24 passes for 92 yards. Mlady gained 87 yards on 15 carries for Naperville North.