Tigers defense forces 5 turnovers, earns shutout
As this season progressed, the surprising slowly became the inevitable for Wheaton Warrenville South.
The expectation level rose higher and higher, to the point where the program is now on the verge of history.
The Tigers will play for their sixth state football title thanks to Saturday's 26-0 win over visiting East St. Louis in the Class 7A semifinals.
Despite having only four returning starters from last year's title team, WW South (13-0) is back in the same spot it was a year ago. It's a spot many people didn't think the Tigers would be heading into the season.
But on the heels of their 27th straight victory, the Tigers will play Lake Zurich (12-1) at 4 p.m. next Saturday in Champaign in the Class 7A final.
A win would make WW South the first program in state history to claim football titles in four different classes.
"I'm really, really proud of the team," said senior offensive lineman Will Matte. "Losing all of those starters, and with the experience we had coming back, this is a great thing we're doing here."
Like nearly all of WW South's playoff games so far, East St. Louis (11-2) proved to be tough early. The Flyers held the Tigers without a first down in the first half, but WW South still managed a 5-0 halftime lead.
Two East St. Louis fumbles and a 3-yard punt kept field position in the Tigers' favor. That eventually resulted in Dan Conroy's 23-yard field goal and a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Phil Traynor and Jeff Schuman combined to sack Flyers quarterback Detchauz Wray in the end zone for a safety and a 5-0 lead.
Despite only 28 first-half yards, the Tigers still had all the offense they needed.
"We just had to wait for those big plays to happen," Traynor said. "The fumbles came out, the picks. We just made the plays."
Five turnovers -- including interceptions by the Tigers' Sam Burke, Schuman and Dan Togami -- stymied the Flyers' potent offense.
Despite outgaining WW South, East St. Louis only reached the red zone twice. Both possessions ended with interceptions.
"The defense just played phenomenal," said defensive lineman Mike Riss. "We just work as a group and as one."
The score remained 5-0 heading to the fourth quarter, but the Tigers soon wore down a Flyers defense featuring many two-way players. Peter Jarrett rushed for 97 of his 122 yards in the second half and helped put the Tigers ahead 12-0 with a punishing 13-yard scoring run early in the fourth quarter.
WW South scored 3 touchdowns in a span of 6 minutes, 33 seconds during the fourth quarter to break open the game. Quarterback Mike Piatkowski threw a shovel pass to Mike Sloboda for a 10-yard touchdown, and Steve Dolatowski capped the scoring with a 1-yard run.
"We wore them down in the fourth quarter and took advantage," said Jarrett, who gave the Tigers their first first down with a 16-yard run on the first play of the second half. "We were energized and ready to drive."
Wray threw for 153 yards but completed only 9 of 23 attempts while constantly being harassed by WW South pass rushers, who notched 2 sacks and forced the passes that led to interceptions.
Piatkowski completed 6 of 14 passes for 82 yards as the Tigers were outgained 247-210 in total yards.
"This is not a bunch of individual stars," said Tigers coach Ron Muhitch. "I'm telling you, these kids are setting the bar much higher."