Daily Herald Report
Posted on November 12, 2000
From about two miles away, that team came calling on the Redhawks on
Saturday afternoon.
Naperville North added the latest rousing chapter to the crosstown rivalry by
topping top-seeded Naperville Central 36-33 in the Class 6A quarterfinals in
front of 6,000 fans at Memorial Stadium.
The Huskies (11-1) advance to the semifinals for a sixth time, while defending
6A state champion Naperville Central's 25-game winning streak comes to an
end.
Ninth-seeded Naperville North will play No. 29 Glenbard North (9-3), a 28-21
winner over Plainfield (11-1), in next weekend's game at Harshbarger-Welzel
Field with a state title berth on the line.
Naperville North escaped 32-30 in the first meeting with DuPage Valley rival
Glenbard North in week six.
For the fourth time in six playoff meetings with Naperville Central (11-1), all at
Memorial Stadium, the Huskies pulled out the victory.
"We have a new personality in the playoffs," said Huskies quarterback Jay
McCareins, whose team lost 31-14 to Naperville Central on Oct. 13 before
15,000 at North Central College.
"The playoffs are Huskies time."
The Redhawks didn't go down without a fight, rallying from a 29-11
third-quarter deficit to take a 33-29 lead with 4:47 left on Kyle Griffith's (12
carries, 48 yards) 27-yard touchdown run.
Giving up 22 straight points put the Huskies on their heels, but they didn't falter.
They marched 76 yards in 10 plays, nine rushing, and capped the drive with
junior Steve Sarm's 18-yard touchdown run with 1:12 remaining.
Chris Cahill's extra point gave the Huskies a 36-33 lead, but it looked like the
Redhawks would get one last chance.
Naperville North's pooch kick, however, was fumbled by the Redhawks and
recovered by the Huskies' Jeff Hartman.
- Kevin Schmit