Murray, Wheaton North offensive line, create a winning tempo
Despite a temperature that felt like 100 degrees at game time, Lake Park ran its offense at an up-tempo pace.
Wheaton North running back Mac Murray and the Falcons’ offensive line countered with their own tempo, leading to a 24-15 victory in the DuKane Conference opener in Roselle.
Murray carried the ball 34 times for 210 yards and 3 touchdowns.
His 1-yard blast up the middle capped the scoring with 1 minute, 54 seconds left on the clock at Bob Monken Field.
Murray contended, “I didn’t do it at all,” preferring to credit linemen Kevin Petruczenko, Will Howser, Connor Weldon, Andersen Walker, and Chuck Surber.
“Today our inside runs were there,” Murray said. “We had a sophomore lineman get pulled up, named Will Howser, and he was working his butt off.
“Just loved to see a ton of effort out of everybody, and it was a great day,” Murray said.
Lake Park (1-2, 0-1) ran tempo to motor 90 yards on its first possession. Quarterback TaySean Smith captained the Lancers, who were assisted by a couple Falcons penalties that gained first downs.
Matt Grinvalds capped the Lancers scoring drive on the ground, bouncing outside from 3 yards out. Logan Boebel’s kick gave Lake Park a 7-0 lead at 2:56 of the first quarter.
Just 32 seconds after Lake Park drew first blood, Wheaton North quarterback Burke Neibch hit tight end Adam Schilling on a deep post for a 51-yard touchdown to get within 7-6.
Athletic Wheaton North defensive lineman Andrew Segura’s interception led to Murray’s first touchdown, a 14-yarder in which the line kept plowing forward.
Wheaton North (3-0, 1-0), which didn’t convert an extra point in the game, took an 18-7 lead with 1:30 left before halftime on Murray’s second touchdown, 1 yard up the gut.
Though it lacked momentum, Lake Park regained it, and the ball, on Massimo Franco’s third-quarter fumble recovery.
That led to another long Lancers scoring drive, 14 plays spanning 78 yards. Alex Gavrylyuk ran from 6 yards in, and Smith added the 2-point conversion to pull within 18-15 at 1:03 of the third quarter.
Smith ran for 75 yards, and passed for 177, with 48 yards receiving by T.J. Ogunribido.
Not allowing Lake Park any further incursion, Adam Schilling’s sack and Johnny Clayton’s interception got Wheaton North the ball back for the closing touchdown drive.
“Very proud of what the line did,” said Falcons coach Joe Wardynski, who noted a first-half injury to center Austin Pierce.
“We needed a drive there at the end and we were able to put one together and punch another score in and get the separation that we needed to, to get a 2-score lead.”