Downers Grove North shuts out Hinsdale Central as defense dominates once again
The names and the faces may change, but somehow the Downers Grove North defense stays the same year after year.
Last year’s Trojans defense was stellar but graduated a number of talented seniors. No worry, this year’s team looks just as good, blanking Hinsdale Central 28-0 on Friday to improve to 3-0.
Only a late score by Downers Grove South last week against the second unit prevented Downers Grove North from recording back-to-back shutouts.
“It’s mostly because our coaches. They tell us 11 is one. We buy into the idea. We have no superstars,” senior defensive end Jacob Vroman said after helping stuff the Red Devils running game and pressure quarter Beau Gatewood seemingly every time he attempted to pass the ball. “We lost some stars last year but everyone has stepped up and we’re all playing together.”
It was Vroman who played a role in the night’s biggest swing. With the Trojans already on top 7-0 on the first of Grant Georgas’ three touchdown runs, the Red Devils went on a fourth-and-2 at the Trojans 24 early in the second quarter. Vroman shot through a gap and dropped Red Devils running back Mikey Menza for a loss and turned the ball over on downs.
On the very next pay Zachary Surowiec busted off a 74-yard touchdown run and the visitors never looked back.
“They came at an angle on the strong side and I got right there to stop it,” said Vroman, who has D-I offers from a trio of schools, including Central Michigan. “Credit to the coaches for preparing us the way they do.”
Trojans head coach Joe Horeni credits defensive coordinator Keith Lichtenberg and his entire staff with developing a defensive culture that carries over from season to season.
“The staff obviously deserves a ton of credit,” Horeni said. “But when your guys have success and you play more big games, the sophomores and the juniors see what the defense can do, and they want to do it the next year.”
On Friday the Trojans owned the line of scrimmage, holding the Red Devils to just five yards rushing while also picking off a pair of Gatewood passes.
With the defense in total control, Downers Grove North built a 21-0 lead at the half and eventually made it 28-0 after Georgas went over the 100-yard mark in the fourth quarter and added his third score of the night.
“We had a rough week with the heat, but the coaches had a great gameplan,” said Georgas, who tallied five touchdowns in a sophomore game, but matched his varsity mark of three on Friday. “The defense made it much easier for us tonight. They played great.”
Hinsdale Central, which had scored its share of points while starting the year 2-0, just never got on track.
“We had some opportunities but at the end of the day they executed better than we did,” Hinsdale Central coach Brian Griffin said. “Their defensive front really got after it.”