West Chicago 27, Glenbard East 20 (OT)

Last week, West Chicago's Mason Brandstedter was a starting linebacker. On Friday night against Glenbard East, he was a linebacker's worst nightmare.

The 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior ran over, around and through the Rams all night, finishing with 46 carries for 275 yards and a 10-yard touchdown. The Wildcats needed pretty much each and every yard Brandstedter gave them on Friday in a 27-20 overtime football win over visiting Glenbard East.

Each team entered the contest 1-3 on the year and in search of its first DuPage Valley Conference win. With Brandstedter gaining 142 yards in the first half, West Chicago (2-3, 1-2) controlled the clock and led 7-0 on Chris Wille's 8-yard touchdown pass to Jay Lenahan.

But even though the Rams didn't have much better luck slowing the big back in the second half, they still managed to send the game into overtime after quarterback Jack Merrithey connected with Jason Callahan for a 25-yard TD with less than a minute to play in the fourth quarter. It was the third time the two hooked up on scoring passes, but when the Wildcats' Taylor Overman tipped away the ensuing PAT kick, the score was 20-20 and the teams ended to OT.

Each team got the ball at the 10-yard line in the extra session. Following a pair of short runs by Brandstedter, Wille rolled to his right and threw the game-winner to James Eckler, who made the catch and dragged his toes just inside the right side of the end zone. The Rams got to the 1-yard line on a third-down run by Merrithey, but a fourth-down pass was batted down by West Chicago defensive back Mike Sedjo to preserve the win.

"The offensive line did great and was blocking everybody," said Brandstedter, who bounced off a trio of tacklers before hopping into the end zone for his third-quarter score that broke a 14-all tie. "I just like to run over people. When I'm up in a hole I'll try and run you over."

Glenbard East coach Dennis Lueck saw too much of that on Friday.

"We've got to stop the run better," he said. "They had the ball way too much."

Even so, with the lightning-quick Merrithey under center the Rams were able to strike quickly for three scores in the second half. On the first possession of the second half, the 5-foot-8 quarterback eluded a heavy rush and hit Callahan for a 75-yard TD to close the gap to 7-6. He added a 19-yard scoring pass and a 2-point conversion late in the third quarter to tie the game at 14-14.

The Wildcats, meanwhile, kept feeding the ball to Brandstedter. Wille connected with Lenahan for a second TD pass for a 20-14 lead before the Rams' late strike sent the game to overtime.

"Our kids showed a lot of courage tonight," Wildcats coach John Walters said. "My hat's off to Dennis and Glenbard East. This was the type of game where you hate to see anyone have to lose."

It sure helped the hosts' cause to have Brandstedter on their side.

"Our offensive line blew some holes," Walters said, noting that his back's gaudy numbers may just be a school record. "Mason's a workhorse, huh? He's a big kid and he's got some speed."

Wheaton North 28, West Aurora 15:ŒWhen it was do or die, Wheaton North's defense passed its test with flying colors Friday night in Aurora.

Junior halfback Mike Trumpy was the offensive star for the Falcons, shredding the West Aurora defense for 3 touchdowns and 207 yards.

But it was the Wheaton North defense in general and the secondary in particular that preserved a 28-15 DuPage Valley Conference victory over the Blackhawks.

The Falcons had a trio of interceptions at their own goal line, and John Sambo stopped a fourth West Aurora red-zone possession with a bone-crunching hit at the Wheaton North 3-yard line to cap an outcome far more competitive than its double-digit verdict suggested.

"We played with heart," said Wheaton North junior safety Jack DeAno, who had two of the Falcons' three picks as West Aurora was seemingly poised to strike.

"We gave it all with our heart."

The league rivals have identical 3-2 overall and 1-2 conference marks with the Wheaton North win.

The Blackhawks had first-and-goal at the Falcons' 3-yard line minutes into the game, but DeAno snuffed the drive with his opening pick.

"That just set the whole tempo," added DeAno.

The Falcons proceeded to run off 21 unanswered points; sophomore quarterback Taylor Graham connected with Corey Thonn from 37 yards out for the opening salvo, and Trumpy had scoring jaunts of 74 and 27 yards.

But West Aurora refused to wilt.

Quarterback John Nunnally traversed the entire field to put the Blackhawks on the board with a 40-yard scamper that was part of their season-high 230-yard output on the ground.

"We got into passing formations and ran out of it," said West Aurora coach Buck Drach. "They weren't sure what was coming at them."

Both teams had scoring opportunities to close out the half, but Wheaton North extended its 21-7 lead at intermission to three scores when Trumpy capped a third-quarter short-field drive.

"We knew (Trumpy) was that good," said Drach.

West Aurora responded behind senior halfback Colton Winston, who had a 10-yard burst on the opening play of the fourth quarter as part of his 25-carry, 129-yard evening.

The Blackhawks were soon back in business, marching 47 yards in six plays for another first-and-goal at the Falcons' 5-yard line.

But Wheaton North stuffed four consecutive runs, the last by Sambo as Nunnally sought his second touchdown keeper of the night.

The final West Aurora drive ended with under two minutes to play when DeAno added his second goal-line interception to negate a Falcons' safety on the previous possession.

"(West Aurora) is a heck of a team and very well-coached," said Wheaton North coach Matt Foster.

"What I was most pleased with was our character."

-- Kevin McGavin