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St. Charles North tricks Rolling Meadows in 2nd round win

A new play does not always get used the week it is added to the playbook.

Sometimes, a team waits for the right spot.

Take the play that made the difference in St. Charles North's 24-17 home win over previously undefeated Rolling Meadows in Saturday's Class 7A second-round matchup, for example.

No. 22 St. Charles North (8-3) designed a play “five or six weeks ago,” according to sixth-year coach Rob Pomazak, in which senior wide receiver Tyler Nubin takes a direct wildcat snap, sprints to his right and throws the ball instead of running with it.

Pomazak said his staff was tempted to use the play late in narrow losses to Batavia and Wheaton Warrenville South in Weeks 8 and 9. The coaching staff held it back for the right time.

The right time came with the North Stars leading 17-14 with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter moments after DJ Oshin blocked a Rolling Meadows punt to put his team in scoring position.

Facing fourth-and-4 at the 23-yard line of No. 6 Rolling Meadows (10-1), Nubin, rolled right and threw to senior wide receiver Alec Kritta in one-on-one coverage.

Kritta made a leaping catch at the 3-yard line, turned past an off-balance defensive back and waltzed into the end zone. Luke Barresi's extra point extended North's lead to 24-14.

“I threw it up, Alex went and got it,” Nubin said. “It was a better play by him, I think.”

“It was fourth down and we weren't really confident with our other plays so we decided to go to the trick play and got lucky,” said Kritta, who had 4 catches for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns. “(Nubin) threw it up there, I tried to make a play and got a touchdown. It was a really big play.”

The victory advances St. Charles North to a state quarterfinal for the second time in program history and first since 2009.

“I cannot be prouder and happier for our kids and our program,” Pomazak said of the quarterfinal berth. “It's a great, great feeling and I'm so glad we get an opportunity to spend another week together.”

The North Stars advance to a rematch at No. 14 Wheaton Warrenville South (10-1), which defeated No. 3 Hononegah 20-14 in Rockton.

The Tigers handed St. Charles North a 13-11 DuKane Conference defeat in the final game of the regular season on Oct. 19.

Rolling Meadows gained 341 total yards in a game that was knotted 14-14 at halftime, but the Mustangs were limited to 114 second-half yards and 3 points. Danny Fallon's 23-yard, fourth-quarter field goal cut the deficit to 24-17 with 4:12 remaining.

“They got pretty stout there in the second half,” said Rolling Meadows coach Matt Mishler, whose team lost the turnover battle 2-1. “We had a couple of (possessions) where it looked like we were going to get something going and they just shut it down. That's the game. When you play a team that good and that big and physical up front, they are going to get some. We just didn't get enough of ours.”

Senior linebacker Max Salhani and the Rolling Meadows defense forced a St. Charles North punt to give the offense the ball back inside its own 15-yard line with 32.4 seconds left. The Mustangs moved the ball to midfield but time ran out on the Mid-Suburban League East champions when a Hail Mary pass was broken up at the 10-yard line.

“From the start of Game 1 we just came out hair on fire,” said Rolling Meadows senior running back Timmy Szylak, who rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown. “We just wanted to go crazy. We tried our best. We put our all into every practice, every game. It is how it is.”

Rolling Meadows twice grabbed 7-point, second-quarter leads. Szylak raced 28 yards up the left sideline on a draw play to break the ice.

St. Charles North answered with a 65-yard touchdown pass from junior Kyler Brown to Kritta, but the Mustangs took a 14-7 lead on a 19-yard run by Jace O'Hara with 2:02 left in the second quarter.

The North Stars tied the game on the ensuing series. Brown threw a 32-yard fade pass to Nubin in the right corner of the end zone with 1:23 left in the half.

The North Stars took a 17-14 lead with 3:04 left in the third quarter on Barresi's 23-yard field goal after a 16-play, 76-yard drive petered out at the 7-yard line.

  Rolling Meadows' Kacper Lesniak (5) looks to move upfield Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Arkadiusz Kleniuk (10) throws over St. Charles North's Ben Furtney (8) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jordan Wiles (6) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jordan Wiles (6) and St. Charles North's Ethan Romero (21) reach for a pass Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jace O'Hara (1) is wrapped up by some St. Charles North players Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Nicholas DeMarco (35) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jace O'Hara (1)j is brought down by a host of St. Charles North players Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jace O'Hara (1) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tim Szylak (43) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (C) (43) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (43) heads in for a touchdown Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (C) (43) slips past St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (C) (43) slides past St. Charles North's Ethan Romero (21) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Arkadiusz Kleniuk (10) throws to Rolling Meadows' Justin Kretz (13) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) celebrates a touchdown Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) reels in a touchdown pass over Rolling Meadows' Charlie Svoboda (12) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) reels in a touchdown pass over Rolling Meadows' Charlie Svoboda (12) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Jace O'Hara (1) heads in the end zone Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Arkadiusz Kleniuk (10) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (C) (43) moves between St. Charles North's Egon Hein (11) and John Williams, II (36) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Ben Furtney (8) slides between Rolling Meadows' Alex Hoffman (8) and Rolling Meadows' TJ Williams (81) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Justin Kretz (13) holds onto a pass as St. Charles North's Ethan Romero (21) tries to stop the play Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Billy Durocher (19) is brought down by Rolling Meadows' Thomas Schell (76) after catching a deflection Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) moves upfield with a whole pack of Rolling Meadows players Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) moves upfield with a whole pack of Rolling Meadows players Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) breaks away from Rolling Meadows' Jackson Brossett (28) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  Rolling Meadows' Tymoteusz Szylak (C) (43) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Alec Kritta (18) goes in for a touchdown Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Ethan Romero (21) tries to stop Rolling Meadows' Kacper Lesniak (5) from completing a catch Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Tyler Nubin (27) Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North head coach Rob Pomazak and the North Stars' Tyler Nubin (27) celebrate their win Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Egon Hein (11) and his teammates celebrate their win Saturday during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
  St. Charles North's Alec Kritta (18) is mugged by his teammates Saturday after a touchdown during IHSA Class 7A playoff football in St. Charles. Brian Hill/bhill@dailyherald.com
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