Graham leads Wheaton North
Wheaton North's sideline held its collective breath when Taylor Graham took off on a scramble in the waning moments of Friday's game with Addison Trail.
No need to worry - the Falcons' quarterback is just fine.
Eleven months after a broken ankle cut short his junior season four-plus games in, Graham returned to throw for 160 yards and 2 touchdowns in Wheaton North's season-opening 23-7 win at Wheaton's Rexilius Field.
Another Graham run on a broken play, coming in the final minute of the first quarter, set up a score.
"I hope they're not nervous," Graham said with a smile, "because I like scrambling a little bit. I don't get a chance to do it a whole lot."
Graham had a big off-season, committing to play at Ohio State. This night was special, too.
"Ever since that night when I was in the emergency room and I found out my ankle was broke," Graham said, "I've been waiting for this day."
Graham guided the Falcons to touchdowns on two of their first three drives. He hooked up with Ben Murrow for a 17-yard crossing pattern and score. After a Kevin Farley interception, Graham's 11-yard run on third down set up a 1-yard Mekael Wesley touchdown run. Graham, who completed 14 of 26 passes, later found Murrow for a 20-yard score. Six receivers caught passes, Richard Finley 5 for 48 yards.
Addison Trail's defense was stingy against the run throughout the night, but Wheaton North's defense and special teams was key in the first half. The Falcons held Addison Trail to 34 yards in the first half, intercepting 2 passes.
Kicker Steve Jones boomed all five kickoffs into the end zone for touchbacks. His 47-yard field goal midway through the second quarter made it 17-0.
"Addison Trail played a great game - they were a great opponent for us and gave us a battle for four quarters," Wheaton North coach Joe Wardynski said. "We have a lot of areas to improve on before next week, that's for sure."
Addison Trail had a chance to get on the board just before halftime, getting the ball on the Wheaton North 13 after a low punt snap. But on the final play of the half from the 1-yard line Wheaton North's Ryan Coleman dropped the Blazers quarterback for a 9-yard loss.
"I was trying to give our kids a run-pass option," Addison Trail quarterback Paul Parpet said, "and it didn't work. But our kids came out in the second half and played extremely well."
Addison Trail, whose sophomore quarterback Anthony Catanese was out with a sprained knee, got it going in the third quarter. Frank Cervantes, who ran for 72 yards on 21 carries, capped a 52-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 17-7.
"We were outsized. we start about four or five sophomores," Parpet said, "but our kids played hard."