Starkey, New Trier prevail at Warren
First-year head coaches who come into a program, change their philosophy and offense, are not suppose to pull things off like this in their first game.
Having New Trier's third coach in the last four years made it sound like the Trevians, who are a proud football program, had to go through growing pains.
The New Trier football program went through one big growth spurt in Gurnee on Friday Night as the Trevians upset the Warren Blue Devils (0-1), 10-7 on John Nykaza's 1-yard touchdown run with 21 seconds left.
"We had a pretty good formula tonight," said New Trier coach Dan Starkey. "We played with a lot of passion."
Warren looked like the team everyone thought it would be after Jim Savage picked off Trevians QB Benji Cohen (13 of 19, 98 yards, INT). Two plays later, Junior QB Bob Boesch (9 of 12, 96 yards, TD) hit wideout Mitch Munda for a 41-yard TD pass.
That was all the offense Warren could muster against a stout New Trier defense.
New Trier held Warren running back Tom Lindal to just 35 yards on 13 carries.
"We really focused on Lindal," Starkey said. "We put a team pursuit on him."
While Lindal could not get it into gear, his back mate, Nolan Sordyl (12 carries, 93 yards), found some success.
The secondary for New Trier was also very sharp with defensive back Thomas Merriman picking off Warren twice. The first one came at the end of a long Warren drive, in the end zone.
"We knew their favorite pass was the post corner," Merriman explained. "I read it perfectly."
His second was to ice the game, which was in doubt for 46 minutes of game time.
New Trier got the ball back with 2 minutes left in the game at their own 45-yard line. Warren had them at third down at midfield before the Blue Devil defense faltered.
Back-to-back personal fouls gave New Trier new life and a first down at the 16 with 45 seconds left.
On second down, Cohen hit Charlie Tilson at the 1 to set up Nykaza's heroics.
On first and goal, Kevin Samuelson (15 carriesm 46 yards) was stopped at the line of scrimmage, so Nykaza decided to take it to the air.
"Our line got a good push to the left," said Nykaza, "so I jumped over them."
After a disciplined first half, Warren racked up 9 penalties for 80 yards.
"We got some breaks tonight," Starkey said. "We played a lot more patient on defense than them."
A failed hail mary pass from Boesch was Merriman's second interception and iced the game as he slid to the grass with no time left.
"I wanted to take it all the way," shrugged Merriman, "But I just took the win."