Glenbard West seizes its chance

Glenbard West's Kane Keirnan didn't just see the end zone as he burst in for a touchdown and added a key 2-point conversion run.

Theo Odom didn't just see the quarterback when he made a huge sack late in the fourth quarter.

And Bryant Venson didn't just see a football as he dove to recover a fumble on his team's 3-yard line to seal a victory for the Hilltoppers.

They all saw something far greater -- they saw a chance at the playoffs.

Glenbard West earned its first postseason berth since 2003 with a 15-13 West Suburban Silver victory over Hinsdale Central on Saturday in Glen Ellyn.

"Our kids have fought this whole season," said first-year Hilltoppers coach Chad Hetlet, an assistant at Hinsdale Central prior to this season. "All I know is that we're going to the playoffs."

Keirnan put Glenbard West (5-4, 3-3) ahead 15-7 when he barreled for a 40-yard touchdown run and then pounded in the 2-point conversion. Hinsdale Central pulled within 15-13 with 8:20 left on a 25-yard run by sophomore quarterback John Whitelaw.

The ensuing 2-point pass fell incomplete, however, preserving Glenbard West's slim lead. The Hilltoppers chewed up five minutes of clock with their next drive, eventually giving the ball to the Red Devils at their 23-yard line with 3:06 left.

Hinsdale Central (6-3, 4-2) faced third-and-22 at its 34 after Odom's sack, but Whitelaw answered with a 50-yard pass to Davis Kalsbeek.

As Kalsbeek tried to break free near the 15-yard line, though, Glenbard West's Chris Brewer stripped the ball. After the ball bounded on the ground for a moment, Venson pounced on it to give the Hilltoppers possession at their 3-yard line.

A few plays later, Glenbard West won the game and punched its ticket to the postseason. It's a loss that cost Hinsdale Central a share of the Silver title.

"This showed that we wanted it more," said Venson, who had 15 carries for 93 yards. "We came back and finished it off this week. Now we've got to get ready for the playoffs."

Whitelaw, who completed 11 of 21 passes for 119 yards, started the scoring with a 4-yard second-quarter run. Glenbard West tied it 7-7 going into halftime when Keirnan, who had 13 carries for 91 yards, scored on a 1-yard run.

"We held our own and got it done," Odom said. "Anything can happen now."