Trojans win big again to maintain Downers Grove bragging rights
Final score: Downers Grove North 45, Downers Grove South 7
Records: Downers Grove North improved to 2-0 while Downers Grove South fell to 1-1 in this West Suburban Conference crossover.
Player of the game: Kevin Jay and Joey Goodwin shared the spotlight. Jay scored twice, including a 41-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter and a 1-yard TD with seven seconds left in the half. Goodwin is also on that pedestal for his two touchdown passes.
Other statistical leaders: The other rushing touchdowns came from Zachary Surowiec on a 29-yard run and Grant Georgas on a 32-yard run. Baker Glomb added a 22-yard field goal and six extra points.
Turning point: The Trojans took control early and never looked back. After Glomb’s 22-yard field goal put North ahead 3-0, Jay broke loose for a 41-yard touchdown run with 55 seconds left in the first quarter, giving North a 10-0 lead. The North offense then scored four more touchdowns in the second quarter.
First-half highlights: The Trojans dominated from the start, rolling up 362 yards on just 25 plays while averaging 14.5 yards per play. The offense produced 214 rushing yards and 148 passing yards. Glomb got things started with a 22-yard field goal and then contributed with five extra points. Goodwin threw TD passes of 33 and 56 yards, while Jay scored on runs of 41 and 1 yards. Zachary Surowiec also added a 29-yard touchdown run.
Second-half highlights: The Trojans continued their momentum immediately in the third quarter with a 32-yard handoff from Goodwin to Grant Georgas for a 44-0 lead. Glomb added to his tally to extend the lead to 45-0. The Mustangs got their score in the final minutes of the fourth quarter, and the Trojans finished with 397 yards of offense.
X-factor: It’s the explosiveness of the DGN offense. The offense averaged 11.3 yards per play, with four touchdown runs and two touchdown passes. The 56-yard screen pass from Goodwin to Serpico was the longest scoring play of the game.
Quote: "It’s always a fun game in Downers for the crosstown game,“ said Trojans coach Joe Horeni. ”Our kids played very hard. I think we played well defensively. To only give up the touchdown right at the end when the clock was running was pretty awesome. Proud of our offense. Our guys ran the ball effectively. We could take advantage of the pass as well. Balanced offensively, so I was pleased with that. Just excited for our team, fun atmosphere in Downers.“