Ng, Glenbard North hold off Wheaton North

Considering the perpetual pounding of bruising Glenbard North running backs Evin Natick and Phil Jackson, you'd expect the clinching play to go their way.

"Rhino," however, went to 5-foot-8, 160-pound Mark Ng.

The senior quarterback did a bit of everything in the Panthers' 17-14 slugfest win over Wheaton North in a battle of unbeatens Friday in Carol Stream, but Ng saved the best for last by converting "Rhino" - a plowing dive over the middle of the line - for a first down on fourth-and-1 in the final minute to seal the DuPage Valley Conference win.

Ng also ran in an 8-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7 in the second quarter, converted a fourth-and-9 pass in the third quarter to set up Natick's go-ahead 2-yard touchdown run, and extended the lead to 17-7 in the fourth quarter by booting a 41-yard field goal.

"A lot of people stepped up today," Ng said. "The offensive line did a really good job, the defense stepped up, too."

Ng's field goal proved to be the difference as Wheaton North (3-1, 1-1) quickly answered with Reece Butler's 46-yard screen pass to Richard Finley, who cut across the field on a nifty path to the end zone, slicing the deficit to 17-14.

Glenbard North (4-0, 2-0) got the ball back with three minutes, 59 seconds left in the game. Jackson and Natick combined for seven straight run plays, but it took Ng's 1-yard keeper on fourth-and-short to preserve the win.