Downers Grove South fends off Hinsdale South’s comeback, takes control of West Suburban Gold race

Final score: Downers Grove South 24, Hinsdale South 20

Records: Downers Grove South (5-2, 4-0 West Suburban Gold), Hinsdale South (3-4, 3-1)

Player of the game: Downers Grove South running back/defensive back Forest Bates scored two receiving touchdowns and accounted for key second-half gains to anchor the Mustangs’ offense.

Other statistical leaders: Mustangs quarterback James Sobkowiak threw for two touchdowns and rushed for a score. Wide receiver/defensive back Luke Potter recorded multiple tackles. Kicker Joshua Muhwezi contributed a 21-yard field goal and went 3-for-3 on extra points. For the Hornets, quarterback Benjamin Miller threw three touchdown passes, including strikes to Brady Miller and Koby Armstrong. Wide receiver Marko Wallace caught several passes to set up multiple scoring drives.

Turning point: Early in the third quarter with Downers Grove South leading 10-6, Sobkowiak connected on a 47-yard touchdown pass to extend the Mustangs’ cushion to 17-6.

First-half highlights: Muhwezi put Downers Grove South on the board first with a 21-yard field goal late in the first quarter. Hinsdale South answered in the second quarter on a 7-yard touchdown pass from Benjamin Miller to Brady Miller to take a 6-3 lead. Downers Grove South responded with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Sobkowiak to Bates, followed by a successful kick by Muhwezi, to head into halftime up 10-6. Peyton Dickenscheidt sealed the first half for the Mustangs with an interception deep in their own territory.

Second-half highlights: After the 47-yard touchdown pass made it 17-6, Sobkowiak added a 1-yard touchdown pass to Bates in the third quarter — with another successful Muhwezi kick — to extend the lead to 24-6. Hinsdale South fought back with an 8-yard touchdown pass from Miller to Armstrong and a successful two-point conversion to cut the deficit to 24-14. In the fourth quarter, Miller hit Armstrong again for a 16-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 24-20. Downers Grove South’s defense came up with consecutive stops and the offense converted a key late first down on a pass from Sobkowiak to Danny Klaeren to run out the clock.

X-factor: Downers Grove South’s defensive resilience, highlighted by Dickenscheidt’s interception late in the second quarter that prevented a potential touchdown for the Hornets.

Quote: “We've been down before and we haven't always come back, and tonight we had a few kids go down and we just talked about maintaining our composure in a game like this,” Mustangs coach Mark Molinari said. “I'm really proud of the fact we had no personal fouls tonight, and in a rivalry game like this that's really important. We had some kids step up and really play big, and I thought our resilience and our self-discipline really was the difference in the game.”