West Aurora flies by East Aurora
The relationship between track and field and football has been long established.
West Aurora is hoping its elite finish last spring at the state track meet translates on the gridiron this fall.
In the latest installment of the oldest football rivalry in the state, East Aurora found out the hard way of the Blackhawks' devastating speed from their skill positions.
Leon Spears' 90-yard kickoff return was only the beginning for the senior burner, who turned a mere five touches into 185 all-purpose yards to lead West Aurora to its ninth consecutive win, 40-12, over its archrivals at East Aurora on Friday night.
"I've said before that this is the most speed I've ever coached before," said West Aurora coach Buck Drach. "(Spears is) not looking for yards; he's looking for holes to get to the end zone every time."
West Aurora (1-0) won the toss, and Spears wasted little time, making a quick darting move at midfield to elude a host of East Aurora tacklers.
"I promised the guys I would set the tone with good field position," Spears said. "Over the summer we built a lot of team chemistry."
It was a bad omen for the Tomcats (0-1) when the kickoff team was whistled for being over the line on their first kick.
"After the penalty you have the feeling that something bad was going to happen," said East Aurora coach Bill Bryant.
Spears then scorched the Tomcats' defense with a 61-yard run on the Blackhawks' first play from scrimmage, only to have it called back when Drach was assessed a penalty for being on the field.
No problem for the senior, who promptly went 11 yards on his next carry before blazing down the right sideline from midfield on a power sweep to up the West Aurora lead to 13-0.
Brandon Warren then swiped an East Aurora pass to set up the first of two touchdown collaborations between quarterback Malcolm Wood and Aviance King.
Spears' third touchdown of the night was sandwiched between the only two passes Wood attempted, which King hauled in from 13 and 65 yards.
The second connection, which King, an all-state high jumper, burned his man on a stop-and-go pattern, gave West Aurora a commanding 33-0 lead less than a minute into the second quarter.
The King score brought the offensive and defensive reserves into the game en mass, including backup tailback Marcus Weller, who scored the Blackhawks' final touchdown on a plunge late in the second quarter.
"We're going to score some points," said Drach.
East Aurora quarterback Bryan Robinson scored on an 11-yard fourth-down play in the second quarter, and the Tomcats' Juan Favela had the only second-half score with a 26-yard fumble return.