A big win for Willowbrook
How big was this football game for Willowbrook?
"We always tell our guys the next one is the most important because it's the next one," said Willowbrook coach Nick Hildreth. "That's the way it is and that's the way we have to look at it. We had to fix our mistakes from last week, look at this film tomorrow and fix some things going forward."
Willowbrook (1-1) bounced back from last week's loss to Glenbard East behind quarterback Billy Degnan, who completed 18 of 30 passes for 167 yards and a touchdown, and sophomore running back Jack Jessen, who added 158 yards on 36 carries, to defeat Proviso West 16-6 in a West Suburban Conference crossover Friday in Hillside.
The Warriors overcame an early 6-0 deficit. Mike Dombowski kicked a 33-yard field goal late in the second quarter to get Willowbrook within 6-3 at the half, and the Warriors took the lead with five minutes left in the third quarter on a 26-yard pass from Degnan to Josan Murphy.
Jessen's 5-yard touchdown run with 10:16 remaining in the fourth quarter, after Willowbrook accepted a penalty that took Dombowski's 27-yard field goal off the board, sealed the victory.
"(Proviso West is) a great team," Degnan said. "They're very athletic, very fast, and they have great coaches over there. Our offensive line played their tails off. I think (Proviso West) got gassed because of our up-tempo game. They couldn't keep up with us in the second half."
After its first three drives ended in two punts and an interception by Willowbrook's Mark Molitor, Proviso West took a 6-0 lead on a 54-yard pass down the right sidelines from Dennis Bryant Jr. to Jashaun Steward with 1:57 remaining in the first quarter.
But that was all the offense Proviso West could muster. Willowbrook's defense stiffened behind Elijah Rochel, Joe Knudson, Alize Tyson and Marcus Krupiczowcz, whose fumble recovery led to a 33-yard field goal by Mike Dombowski that cut the lead to 6-3 in the second quarter.
"Our coaches tell us, 'Short-term memory,' and that just means if a big play happens, so be it," Rochel said. "How long is a game? One play is not going to affect the entire result. A win's always fun, especially a win when we played our hearts out. We laid it all on the field tonight."
Dennis Bryant Jr. completed 15 of 34 passes for 135 yards for Proviso West (0-2).
"Sometimes they're ugly and it really was ugly," Hildreth said. "They're incredibly athletic on the outside, and their quarterback is tough as nails. He sits back there and makes plays. Our guys did a pretty good job holding those guys in check."