STAFF WRITER
09/10/00
It just keeps chugging along.
Friday night, the seemingly unstoppable train that is the defending state champion and No. 1 Naperville Central Redhawks made its third stop of the 2000 season at West Chicago, easily downing the Wildcats 43-0 in the DuPage Valley Conference opener for both teams.
Senior quarterback Owen Daniels led a balanced attack that amassed 340 yards of total offense. Daniels' individual performance embodied his team's impressive and diverse weaponry. Passing with pinpoint accuracy and scrambling effectively on numerous occasions, the Redhawks signal caller finished 9-of-11 for 173 yards passing and a touchdown. He ran for 26 yards and two touchdowns.
The Central offense also was effective on the ground, adding 167 yards. Coach Joe Bunge's game plan was to keep the West Chicago defense guessing, and it worked to near perfection.
"We wanted to mix the run and the pass," assistant coach Mark Kolkman said. "It kept them off-balance, and that's what we wanted to do."
Central (3-0 overall and 1-0 in the DVC) struggled in the first quarter, exhibiting the same type of careless play that manifested itself early in last week's contest against Stevenson. On the Redhawks' initial possession, the offense managed just one first down before having to punt. After stopping West Chicago on its first three plays from scrimmage, Central mounted a yard-chewing drive that looked as if it would produce the game's first points.
But on third-and-10 from the Wildcats 16-yard line, Daniels ruined an exciting scramble with a fumble on the 3. West Chicago (0-3, 0-1) recovered the ball, halting the train's advance — for the moment.
The next time Central had the ball, things were different. Near the end of the opening quarter, Tyke Spencer ripped off a 30-yard punt return, giving Central ideal field position at the West Chicago 34. On second down, Daniels avoided a Wildcats blitz and completed a 31-yard pass to tailback Kyle Griffith inside the 10. Two plays later, Daniels followed his offensive line into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown.
The Redhawks defense maintained its pressure on the next series, forcing West Chicago quarterback Brett Dieter into an ill-advised pass over the middle. Central defensive back Mitchell Nowicki made Dieter pay with his first of two interceptions in the game.
"Our line had great pressure, and it made their quarterback scramble around," Nowicki said. "He had nowhere to throw the ball, and I just happened to be in the right place at the right time."
Nowicki's pair of picks were indicative of the strength of a Central defense that limited West Chicago to 103 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers.
After a 23-yard slant pass to tight end Kyle Adams resulted in first-and-goal from the 1, Daniels again snuck in for a score. The Redhawks followed with an Adams to Jason Paquette two-point conversion off a fake extra-point attempt. Central was in control, ahead 15-0.
With 1:02 remaining in the half, Griffith punched the ball in from the 1-yard line to pad the Redhawks' lead to 22-0. Still, it looked as if West Chicago would escape the first half without being completely embarrassed.
But the Redhawks train wasn't quite ready to head to the halftime station. Wide receiver and special-teams weapon Spencer added one more first-half score, following a convoy of blockers down the sideline for a 54-yard punt return as time expired in the half for a 29-0 lead.
"Coach (Bunge) told us before the punt that this was a chance to get a backbreaker," Spencer said. "Our wall of blockers just set up great, and all I had to do was run right through the hole."
The Central train pushed out of the station in the second half, producing touchdowns on its first two offensive possessions. Draped by a Wildcats defender, wide receiver Kevin Noel made a 30-yard circus catch for the Redhawks' first second-half score. On Central's ensuing offensive drive, sophomore fullback Jason Paquette rumbled 55 yards up the middle on a draw play for the final touchdown of the game.
With Wheaton Warrenville South next on the team's docket, the Redhawks know their best chance for continued success resides in the balanced offense and pressure defense that has kept the train rolling over the past two seasons.
"We're not going to change a whole lot of things," Kolkman said, looking ahead to next weekend's matchup with the Tigers. "It's a big week for our kids and all of us. They'll be ready to play."