Central clutches crosstown football classic

Central defeated South at its rival game on Oct. 19.

Rachel Wagner

Central defeated South at its rival game on Oct. 19.

The Red Devil football team closed out the regular season with an important victory over crosstown rival Hinsdale South 21-12 on Friday, Oct. 19, at 7:30 p.m. on Dickinson Field.

Both teams entered the game with an overall record of 6-2, where  the victory ensured Central the share of the West Suburban Conference Silver crown with Glenbard West and Oak Park River Forest, and also gave them the Doings Cup title.

The Red Devils opened the scoring on their second drive of the first quarter. After shutting down Hinsdale South on a three and out, Nick Beaulieu, senior wide receiver, set up around mid-field for a punt return. He fielded the punt and sprinted left getting toward the sideline and down to the eight yard line.

From there, Mark Skokna, junior running back, carried the ball for two yards and on his second carry, he ran it in from the six yard line, bouncing off a few defenders in the process putting the score at 7-0 Central.

Central faced the challenge containing South’s junior quarterback, Marquese Garrett, throughout the contest. With under two minutes left in the first half and facing third and six, Garrett dropped back, stepped up, and then broke right for a touchdown run.

A bad snap for the extra point kick allowed Owen Goss, junior defensive back, enough time to break in and block the kick, leaving the score 7-6 Central with 1:44 left in the half.

On first and 10 from their own 15 yard line, Matt Rush, senior quarterback, dropped back and hit Braden Contreras, junior wide receiver, with a thrown pass on a post route down the middle. Contreras picked up 41 yards and set the ball on the South 44 yard line.

On the next play, Matt Bobak, senior running back, took the ball on a handoff up the middle breaking tackles and keeping his legs churning on his way to the end zone leaving Central 14-6 with 1:10 left in the half.  

Matt Bobak, senior running back, runs towards the end zone scoring a touch down for the Red Devils.                                                                Rachel Wagner

¨I got the ball and kept moving my feet,” Bobak said. “We have the best offensive line in the state so I just got to follow them. They just do my job for me and all I have to do is run through the holes, and coach had great play calling.”

To begin the third quarter, Zach Drescher, senior kicker, booted the kickoff into the end zone for another touchback. South started with the ball on their own 20. Hornet running back Devin Smith had a carry for seven yards.

On the next play, Smith ran up the middle and broke free for a 73 yard touchdown run. Central defense stopped Smith on the two point conversion run attempt, bringing the score to 14-12 Central.

With less than seven minutes in the third quarter, the Red Devils had possession of the ball at their own 28. On third and seven Rush completed a pass to Beaulieu along the left side. Beaulieu made the catch and cut back right for the first down. On a second and six on their own 46, Rush threw a deep pass down the left sideline intended for Contreras. It looked like Contreras had it, but it slipped through, incomplete.

On third and six, Rush dropped backed, tripped, but recovered and completed a pass over the middle to Nick Franko, junior linebacker, to the South 49. On fourth and two, Bobak carried the ball left and on his second lunge, and gained the first down.

Again, Central faced third and long, this time Rush looked to pass, but took off for a nine yard gain. On fourth and two, Bobak had a nice gain up the middle for four yards. A few plays later and it was third and nine at the South 23.

Rush took the snap, looked left as Contreras ran a curl route along the left sideline and completed the pass and Contreras cut back to the middle of the field for a huge 19 yard gain down to the four yard line. The clock ran out the end of the third quarter.

To begin the fourth quarter, Bobak carried the ball down to the one yard line. He went up the middle for the touchdown. After the kick by Drescher, Central led 21-12 over South.

Later in the fourth quarter with 2:39 remaining and South with the ball on the Central 47 facing a  fourth and nine, Garrett rolled out right and it looked like Hayden Waters, senior, had him. Garrett threw downfield, but Goss broke up the pass. The ball popped up and looked like anyone’s ball, but the ball ended up on the turf. The ball turned over on downs to Central.

Bobak ran hard on a few more carries to close out the game. The victory put Central at 7-2 overall and 5-1 in Conference Silver play.

Key players to the win included: Lucas Schwartz, Guy Henry Goss, junior free safety, Owen Goss, junior defensive back, Waters, Jack McCarty, senior center back, and Sean Kelly senior defensive end.

Rachel Wagner
Lucas Swartz, junior defensive linemen, and his teammates, pile up on South’s quarterback Marquesse Garret.

On offense, Matt Bobak carried the load again rushing for 160 yards and two touchdowns. Zach Drescher had a great game with four touch backs on kickoffs and a clutch punt of 50 yards mid way through the fourth quarter and three extra point kicks.

Alongside the cup, this win  gave Central home field advantage at Dickinson Field for their first round playoff game against 22 ranked Conant on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 1 p.m.

“[This game] was a great test for the playoffs,” said Mr. Dan Hartman, head coach.  “It was a tight game and definitely gets you ready for a tight game to play next week.”