Week 7 Area Football Recap

Notre Dame’s, Ty Gavin, Joliet Catholic’s Keenan Hailey and Downers Grove South’s, Jayden Lambert, highlight the Voyager Media Publications Week 7 recap column.

Playoff-bound, Plainfield South’s, Tod Bell, had an exceptional Friday Night, too.

The area’s leading scorer and No. 2 rusher, Notre Dame RB/DB Ty Gavin, ran for 244 yards and scored four touchdowns in the Dons 41-20 East Suburban Catholic Conference win over St. Pat’s, Saturday night. Gavin, also came up with two key interceptions his third and fourth picks of the season.

Joliet Catholic (4-3, 3-2) running back, Keenan Hailey aka “Hailey’s Comet” ran for 233 yards and scored three touchdowns in the Hilltoppers 70-28 ESCC win over Marian Catholic,at Joliet Memorial Stadium. Hilltopper senior fullback Nick Iannantone scored four times and rushed for 111 yards in the win over the Spartans. The Hilltoppers, must pick up a road win at either Nazareth (6-1, 4-1), Friday or in Week 9 at Notre Dame (6-1, 4-1) to make the IHSA playoffs this season.

Downers Grove South (4-3, 4-1) stayed in the West Suburban Gold race and moved one win closer to an IHSA playoff berth with a 35-7 demolition of Leyden on Friday night. Mustang junior QB, Jayden Lambert threw for 266 yards and four touchdowns. Vinnie Provenzano, caught a pair of TD’s from Lambert, from 69 and 18-yards.

The Mustangs head to Downers Grove’s North Side, in search of win No.5, in  the District #99 Crosstown Classic at Downers Grove North (3-4, 2-3).

“The Brook” (6-1, 4-1) went to Dolton on Thursday night and made quick work of Thornridge. Behind RB Quentin  Pringle and FB Anthony Williams, Jr, the Raiders jumped out to a 52-0 lead, at halftime. With the running clock initiated in the second quarter, the game was put to rest quickly. Pringle scored three times and had a two-point conversion, while Williams, Jr. scored one touchdown and a two-point conversion.

Playoff-bound Plainfield South (6-1, 6-1) RB Tod Bell scored four touchdowns in the Cougars 41-7 Southwest Prairie Conference victory over Plainfield East. Bell rushed for 158 yards and had touchdown runs of 61, 3, and 3 yards. Bell also caught a 52-yard touchdown strike from Cougar, sophomore quarterback Nick Schultz.

Benet Academy (5-2, 3-2), wrapped up another IHSA Playoff berth with a 42-14 win over St. Viator. Senior QB Colin Gillespie threw for 201 yards and a touchdown to Luke Flaska (16 yards). Senior RB Ben Hickey, topped the century-mark with 109 yards and scored three touchdowns. Gillespie topped the 1,000 passing yards-mark and has now thrown for 1,014  yards and six touchdowns on the season.

Red-hot Minooka (5-2, 5-2) won its fifth consecutive Southwest Prairie Conference win beating Romeoville 56-0. The win wrapped up another IHSA playoff berth for the Indians.With the win, the Indians are the Voyager Media Publications Week 7 Team of the Week. 

Plainfield North (3-4, 3-4), kept its playoffs hopes alive, with a 34-14 victory over Joliet Central (2-5, 2-5). The win Friday night, was a coming-out-party, for Tiger sophomore running back Nate Simpson.  Simpson, rushed for 162 yard on 18 carries and scored two Tiger touchdowns. Junior Marcellus Moore broke the century-mark with 106 yards and a 49-yard sprint to the end zone.

Joliet Central, was again led by senior QB Jared King. King threw for 159 yards and threw a 43-yard touchdown pass to Ke’ Andre Wiley. Steelmen WR Jayden Smith, caught five passes for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Joliet West (3-4, 3-4) kept tis playoff hopes alive, with a 41-28 shootout victory over Plainfield Central (1-6, 1-6), on Saturday. It was Homecoming 2018 on Fort Beggs Drive and the Tigers and Wildcats put on a show for the homecoming crowd. Joliet West QB Alfonso Sanchez threw for 182 yards and two touchdown passes. WR Kevon Dorris had 104 yards receiving, including a 19-yard scoring strike. Sanchez would also throw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Douglas Dobbs.

Wildcat QB Nick Barner electrified the Wildcat crowd throwing for 242 yards and two touchdowns. WR Reese Lillie, caught his fourth touchdown reception, in three weeks and sixth on the season. Junior WR Brandon Shoemaker (5 catches, 91 yards), caught a 42-yard scoring strike from Barner in the fourth quarter.

Downers North (3-4, 2-3), kept its IHSA playoff hopes alive with a 28-14 win over Lyons Township. After LT had taken a 14-13 in the third quarter, Trojan senior QB Drew Cassens ran 47-yards. for the game-winning score for DGN.

Westmont (4-3) kept its IHSA Playoff hopes alive with a 34-6 win at downstate Westville (0-7). Sentinel sophomore quarterback Gavin Carr, threw for 194 yards and three touchdowns. Carr also ran for 62 yards. Junior wide receiver, Mike Thompson, hauled in two touchdown passes from Carr, from 55 and 36-yards. Thompson would finish with four catches for 114 yards.  Wide receiver Jayden West, added a 10-yard scoring strike from Carr.

And last but not least, The Terrific Ten, No.1 Hawks of Maine South (6-1, 3-0), romped past Glenbrook South, 44-7 in a game that took two days to complete, due to Mother Nature, again. Friday night’s thunderstorms force a suspension of the CSL South unbeatens with the Hawks up 24-0 at halftime. The two squads returned to Glenbrook South (2-5, 2-1), on Saturday morning.

Senior QB Cole Dow threw for 137 yards and a touchdown pass to WR Ryan Kilburg. Hawk senior RB Danny Wolf, rushed for 127 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns.

On Friday night, at Wilson Field, the Hawks will shoot for their 18th consecutive CSL South championship when they host New Trier (6-1,3-0). The Hawks are 87-1, in the last 18 years and on October 7, 2016 the Hawks lost their only CSL South game 27-21, to guess who? If you guessed New Trier, you are the grand-prize winner.