Hinsdale South handles Willowbrook
In football a team makes trips into the end zone anyway it can.
As a steady drizzle fell Friday night in Villa Park, Willowbrook and Hinsdale South scored a combined 9 touchdowns. Six of those touchdowns came as a result of turnovers and one was set up with the help of a roughing-the-passer penalty.
Despite a third-quarter rally by the Warriors, Hinsdale South went on to cruise to a 40-20 victory. Willowbrook (0-3, 0-1 West Suburban Gold) scored touchdowns on offense, defense and special teams. But what concerns coach Nick Hildreth was the Warriors scoring just once on offense.
"You are not going to win in the West Suburban, with the kind of teams that are there, just scoring one touchdown on offense," he said.
Hinsdale South (3-0, 1-0) led 20-7 at halftime and appeared to be putting the game away earlier. The Hornets led in total offensive yards 212-78 at the half.
"It's cold, rainy weather. Turnovers are going to be a fact of life," said Hinsdale South coach Mike Barry.
The Warriors, though, weren't going away.
Willowbrook took over the ball with 9:40 left in the third quarter and marched down the field, facing a fourth-and-1 situation at the Hornets 29. Senior David Harris, who led all rushers with 130 yards on 28 carries, grabbed the first down with a 4-yard run. Six plays later, he ran it in from the 6 with 5:15 left in the period.
Hinsdale South had gotten off 5 plays on the ensuing possession when it fumbled and Jake Henderson grabbed up the ball and ran 46 yards for the score. Paul Yacoub's extra point tied the score at 20.
The Warriors' lone score of the first half came courtesy of Alex Huetson, who blocked a field-goal attempt for a 72-yard run into the end zone.
"We responded really well early in the first half," Hildreth said. "In each of our three games, we have been in position to be within a score or tie the game We've been competing, but we have not been able to finish."
Starting Willowbrook quarterback Billy Degnan suffered a leg injury with 4:46 remaining in the game and was helped off the field. Hildreth did not know the extent of the injury.