West Aurora 48, West Chicago 27
The biggest football game in recent history at West Aurora turned into a showcase of big plays by Markus Cocroft on Friday night -- just what the do-or-die Blackhawks needed to keep their flickering playoff hopes alive.
Cocroft-- a 5-8, jitterbug junior -- was all over the field. Up, down and all around, Cocroft intercepted three passes -- returning one of them 70 yards for a touchdown -- and electrified the home crowd with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown as West roared to a 48-27 win over West Chicago.
His big plays highlighted what was a huge win for West Aurora.
"It if wasn't for my teammates, we wouldn't be talking about those plays," Cocroft said. "The blocking they gave me ... I've really got to thank them for helping me make those happen."
His performance gave the Blackhawks the energy they needed in what really amounted to their first playoff game. The win evened their record at 4-4 overall and set up a win-and-they're-in scenario next week in the regular season finale at Glenbard North.
West Aurora exploded for its highest point output in 17 games under coach Buck Drach. But a lopsided win didn't appear to be in the cards after a close, back-and-forth first half. The teams traded a pair of touchdowns to forge a 14-14 tie, before Cocroft burst free for his 87-yard kickoff return to put the Blackhawks up 22-14.
Two plays before that, West Chicago (2-6) lost starting QB Chris Wille, who had already accounted for 100 yards of total offense to that point. Wille took a hit just short of the goal line that left him dazed. He stumbled off with assistance moments later, only to collapse again on the sideline. He was taken into the school for observation and did not return.
Junior A.J. Romanelli took over, and drove the Wildcats to the West Aurora 12-yard line, before Cocroft executed a clothesline interception at the 4-yard line that preserved West Aurora's lead with less than a minute left in the half.
West Aurora's defense, spearheaded by Terran Buck and Tim Soloff, tightened considerably in the second half. Soloff, working at rush end, had five pass breakups at the line of scrimmage.
Two of them set up the Blackhawks in great field position, leading to a pair of rushing TDs by Rivers covering 2 yards and 50 yards, respectively, as West Aurora pulled out to a 34-14 lead.
"We're calling (Soloff) Batman now; that's his new nickname," West coach Buck Drach joked.
Rivers (10 rushes, 145 yards) set up another West Aurora TD when he broke loose for a 53-yard run. Quarterback John Nunnally (6 of 8, 114 yards) found a diving Theo Hicks in the end zone on the very next play for a 19-yard touchdown.
"We were talking playoffs all week in practice," Rivers said. "We knew the whole season came down to this game. It's going to be the same way next week."
The importance certainly wasn't lost of Cocroft, who played at wide receiver and running back before the coaching staff switched him to defense.
"I had faith in our team that we'd get it done," Cocroft said. "We just had to dig down and play as a team. We played like this was our last game."