Quarterback Jay McCareins looked like he was wearing a cape, too. He never lost his cool or his confidence, even when North blew an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter and fell behind with 4:47 remaining. He directed a 76-yard drive to snap Central's 25-game winning streak.

"In my head, I knew we could come back," McCareins said. "We all came together. No one had their head down. We knew what to do and we did it. No team is unbeatable. We didn't show enough heart before [when Central beat North 31-14 in Week 8]. But we showed it today."

With Bartl and his offensive linemates--Mike Polacheck, Dave Sherman, Tim Hower and Marty Fornelli--opening huge gaps in Central's defense, North dominated the first three quarters, powered for 417 yards and advanced to the 6A semifinals for the fourth time in nine years.

McCareins completed 8 of 13 passes for 95 yards, including a 31-yard touchdown toss to Steve Sarm, and rushed for 81 yards and one touchdown. Sarm rushed for 111 yards and scored the game-winning touchdown on an 18-yard draw. Kevin Hahn rushed for 92 yards and one touchdown.

Trailing 29-11 at the outset of the fourth quarter, Central rallied behind quarterback Phil Horvath, who completed 11 of 21 passes for 182 yards, including a 77-yard scoring pass to Dan Prazak. Kyle Griffith scored twice, including a 27-yard burst to put the Redhawks ahead.

But North bounced back, driving 76 yards in 10 plays with the precision of a surgeon. Sarm ran for six yards, Hahn carried five times for 40 yards and McCareins scrambled twice for 18 yards and threw a four-yard pass to Robby Scott, setting the stage for Sarm's 18-yarder.

Bartl said he was challenged by coach Larry McKeon before the game. He admitted that Joe Alvarez, Central's All-Area defensive tackle, had intimidated him in their first meeting and McKeon motivated him to turn the tables on the DuPage Valley's best defender.

"We played with a big heart and won," said Bartl, a 5-10, 252-pound senior. "When they went ahead, I was afraid the game was slipping away. I said: `Oh no, not again.' It reminded me of two years ago when we lost to Barrington [in double overtime] in the semifinals.

"It really makes me proud when the coach calls the 7 or 9 or 3 hole on my right side. The last time we beat them was our freshman year. This is the best feeling I've ever had in football."

McKeon said it was the best feeling he has experienced since his Huskies won the 1992 state championship and finished second in 1994.

"We needed to play with great emotion and we did," McKeon said. "They made us look bad the last time. For us to dig down deep and come back like that, it is an awesome feeling. We had great blocking on the drive from Bartl and Polacheck."

North (11-1) put Central on its heels at the outset. The Huskies built a 22-11 halftime lead by amassing 258 yards while limiting Central to 84 and running 37 plays to Central's 14. Horvath's 77-yard touchdown pass with 33 second left in the second quarter triggered Central's comeback.

"I thought we had them but they came back with that great drive at the end," Central coach Joe Bunge said. "We had problems stopping them all game. They came out with great emotion and took it to us. It was a good run. I just wish it had gone a little longer."