Defense sets tone for Barrington

It's no secret Barrington's defense has been its best offense this season.

So you'd figure a team that's been racking up over 35 points a game on average this season would put up points on Wheeling.

But with a Wildcats squad whose own defense looked much tougher than their 1-2 record suggested, Barrington's defense had to be crafty.

One crafty Bronco was the same guy who last week picked 3 passes - Ben LeCompte.

His interception - the fourth in 2 weeks - along with a fumble recovery (and don't forget his 40-yard field goal) highlighted a defense which held Wheeling to just 188 total yards, 84 in the second half, and helped Barrington improve to a 4-0 record with a 24-7 win over the Wildcats in a Mid-Suburban crossover at Barrington Community Stadium on Thursday night.

The turning point may have not come not from LeCompte's turnover binge, but on Wheeling's muffed punt recovered by Barrington's James Pajich on the Wildcat 45.

What could have been decent field position for Wheeling, a problem all night, instead set up a Chase Murdock 2-yard run 6-plays later that put Barrington up 14-0 with 3:13 left in the second quarter.

"That certainly helped," said Broncos coach Joe Sanchez. "Our defense played phenomenal tonight. For our defense to hold these guys to 7 points, once again, it's a great accomplishment coming up with some turnovers when we needed it. At times we sputtered offensively. They really picked us up tonight."

Wheeling scored on a a 5-yard run by Eddie Scanlon (8 attempts, 37 yards) as part of a 7-play, 55-yard drive, highlighted by Kyle Batiz' 55-yard reception late in the first half.

But Wheeling (1-3) couldn't score thereafter.

Barrington picked up its defense in the second half, allowing just 84 total yards, 60 rushing yards all game. Wheeling's only successful drive stalled at the Bronco 15 on a missed field goal. Every other drive resulted in a punt or turnover.

"Our defensive line is unreal, and our linebackers are great threats," LeCompte said. "So keeping five, six guys in the box with the D-line like we have kind of forces teams sometimes out of the run; the interceptions are all not me. The interceptions are the pressure on the quarterback, the scout team, I'm the one catching the ball. It could be anyone."

The offensive side saw Murdock run for 133 yards on 23 attempts. He had 3 scores, including a 22-yard burst on Barrington's first play of the second half.

Matt LeMire's completed 7 of 15 passes for 73 yards and an interception, but Sanchez was positive about the aerial game.

"Obviously tonight, we were a little bit off," he said. "We had things available to us in the passing game, we had some good things going early. And then just for whatever reason, we seemed to miss a few things. You know, we'll keep working on it."

Quarterback Tyler Brady led the Wildcats with 11 completions for 128 yards.