Downers Grove North coach Pete Ventrelli wasn`t going to let anyone leave the Glenbard West field without giving them a hug or two.
Ventrelli embraced any parent, grandparent or player he could. So did his team, which beat Glenbard West 36-16 to clinch a tie for the West Suburban Conference Silver Division title.
Downers North (8-0, 5-0) hasn`t won or tied for a conference championship since 1969; a victory next Friday against Oak Park will give the Trojans an undisputed title. It would be only the fourth conference varsity football crown in school history.
”Our first goal was to have a winning year,” said quarterback Dan Marino, who ran for 107 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and threw for 95 yards and two TDs. ”Our second goal was to qualify for the playoffs. Our third goal is to go undefeated. So far, this is something you dream about.”
Glenbard (5-3, 3-2) began to celebrate its homecoming with a 10-0 lead. But with Downers North on the Glenbard 5-yard line and 3 seconds left in the half, Ventrelli went for the touchdown instead of a field goal. ”They were ready to run us out of it,” he said later.
Marino hit wide receiver Shaun Scholtens with a perfect bloop pass in the corner of the end zone to make it 10-7.
”We felt we had a good one-on-one situation there,” said Ventrelli.
”We`re not a passing team, but we can throw the ball.”
That TD triggered a shift in momentum. After Jimmie Dunlap (12 carries for 88 yards) and Jeremy Sample (9 for 31) were held to a combined 12 yards in the first half, the Trojans` running game began to get the better of a tired Glenbard defense in the third quarter.
Dunlap proved it when he carried two would-be tacklers through the Downers backfield, shook them off and galloped 31 yards for a 14-10 lead.
Adam Grout returned the kickoff 85 yards for TD, and Glenbard regained the lead 16-14, missing the extra point.
Then Marino, facing third and 21 from his 11, dashed 44 yards to midfield.
”That`s the key play of the game,” Ventrelli said. ”We don`t get that, we`re stuck in a hole and have to punt with the wind in our face.”
On the next play, a play-action fake left tight end Mark Zundel all alone, and Marino hit him for a 45-yard score and a 22-16 lead.
Zundel then picked off two Glenbard passes deep in Downers territory, returning one 94 yards for a TD to put the Trojans up 29-16 with 7 minutes left.
”We just got a good rush and forced him to throw two ducks,” shrugged Zundel.
