Glenbard North has no doubts after beating Naperville North
Glenbard North senior linebacker Chris Wahrman did a double-take toward the scoreboard, just to let it sink in.
Glenbard North 21, Naperville North 0.
The Panthers stunned everyone but themselves by blanking the defending DuPage Valley Conference football champions in the league opener Friday in Carol Stream. It's Glenbard North's first victory over the Huskies since 2001, which is also the last time Naperville North suffered a shutout.
"We knew we were going to win the whole time, no doubts in our minds," Wahrman said. "The feeling right now is indescribable, beating Naperville North."
After a stirring pregame tribute to the 438 firefighters, police officers and other emergency personnel who lost their lives in the terror attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, Glenbard North (3-0, 1-0) immediately went to work.
Brandon Salemi snared the first of the Panthers' 3 interceptions, and six plays later Evin Natick ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Leading 7-0, Glenbard North already had all the points it needed.
The Panthers defense was phenomenal. The unit held the wounded Huskies (2-1, 0-1) to 104 total yards while creating 4 turnovers.
"We all knew we were the underdogs, and they didn't see it coming," said Panthers linebacker Pat Maxwell. "We were just coming off the ball."
In the second quarter quarterback Tom Trafficanti threw a screen pass to Natick, who went 74 yards for a 14-0 lead. Overcoming 3 fumbles of their own, the Panthers added their final touchdown in the fourth quarter when receiver Mike Carev, playing quarterback in the shotgun, took the snap and ran 36 yards for the score.
While Natick continued his strong start to the season with 22 carries for 122 yards, Trafficanti completed 10 of 14 passes for 169 yards.
"This is going to be a big confidence boost after beating a team like that," Trafficanti said.
The injury bug hammered Naperville North once again. Already depleted several players, including running back-defensive back Jon Ryan, who broke a wrist last week, the Huskies lost defensive lineman Blex Vixama early in Friday's game to what coach Larry McKeon said might be a broken leg.
The Huskies endured a scare in the third quarter when junior quarterback Matt LaCosse hurt his ankle after throwing an interception. LaCosse missed the remainder of the game, but McKeon believed the injury was not severe.
Regardless, McKeon said he couldn't remember seeing this many injuries on one of his teams.
"I'm not going to cry about that," McKeon said. "We're out some kids, but I'm sure everybody is. We still have some kids that can play."