Old foes Wheaton Warrenville South, Naperville Central renew ties in classic DVC fashion
Like Wheaton Warrenville South football coach Sean Norris said before Friday’s game, it was like the old DuPage Valley Conference days.
The Tigers’ 27-7 win over Naperville Central at Red Grange Field in Wheaton marked the first time the former conference foes had faced each other since the 2017 season, the last time both were in the DVC.
They rekindled one of the state’s oldest rivalries Friday, a nonconference opener between teams that have won a combined nine state championships.
The first half was a contrast between WW South ball possession and Naperville Central’s big-play ability. The hosts ran 35 plays from scrimmage, while the Redhawks mustered 17.
“All week we’ve really focused on running the ball, pounding the ball, and then our pass game will come,” said junior quarterback A.J. Rogers, who ran for 43 yards and passed for 189 yards and 2 touchdowns.
In the first quarter WW South began with a 10-play, 66-yard drive capped by Blake Ittersagen’s 36-yard touchdown catch from A.J. Rogers’ pass on a post route. Sophomore Drew Maletich’s kick gave the Tigers a 7-0 lead at 7:22.
Ittersagen caught 7 passes for 88 yards.
Naperville Central retaliated within a minute. Mark Williams’ 51-yard catch and run set up Ryan Jacobson’s 1-yard touchdown plunge. Kicker Noah Evans knotted the score at 7-7 at 6:20 of the first quarter.
WW South again took 66 yards to go up 14-7 on Rogers’ 8-yard flare pass to 6-foot-4 Steven Harvey with 1:37 left in the first quarter.
Naperville Central escaped real trouble when the Tigers’ Joshia De Jesus recovered a punt snap deep in Redhawks territory, but WW South couldn’t capitalize.
The Tigers were pleased to go into halftime leading 17-7 on Maletich’s 44-yard field goal just before halftime.
The trend continued in a cramp-filled second half. The Tigers defense got off the field to start the third quarter, and the offense held the ball for more than six minutes. Again, sophomore Maletich impressed with a 30-yard field goal and 20-7 WW South lead at 2:58 of the third quarter.
Tigers junior Trent Simpson broke that mold, however, breaking a counter play up the gut and outracing pursuit on a 74-yard touchdown run. WW South took its 27-7 lead with 9:50 left in the game.
“No one’s catching him. That was a great run,” Rogers said of Simpson, who ran for 133 yards on the night.
“We all executed as a team, it was a total team win today. We came in ready, and we showed it.”
Naperville Central got a strong defensive game from linebacker Justin Skryd, while quarterback Simon Hayes threw for 187 yards. Williams caught 3 passes for 74 yards.
doberhelman@dailyherald.com