Fremd’s halftime strategy was simple: Be patient, give the ball to Jamil Walker and let him run.
The junior running back took full advantage, rushing for 122 of his game-high 157 yards and two touchdowns in the second half as host Fremd (3-2, 1-0) defeated Barrington 16-11 for the Mid-Suburban West win.
“We didn’t come out strong, but we knew it was just a matter of time,” said Walker who carried 21 times.
His best run of the night was a 51-yard touchdown sprint down the right sideline, capping a seven-play, 85-yard third quarter-opening drive, giving the Vikings (3-2, 1-0) an 8-3 edge.
“I got a great block and made a cut,” Walker said.
Barrington (3-2, 0-1) answered with its lone touchdown of the night with 2:07 remaining in the third as Aaron Kirchoff (81 yards rushing) scored from 1 yard out, capping a 79-yard drive. Walker scored the game-winner at 6:22 of the fourth on an 11-yard run up the middle. He also scored the two-point conversion run, giving Fremd a 16-9 lead.
The win, however, was costly as several Vikings were injured, starting with sophomore defensive end Buddy Dudczak (right knee), hurt on the opening kickoff. Also injured were Michael Moffett (shoulder), Joe Biasi (right ankle) and Nicholas Grinvalds (right leg).
Ross Forman.
Oswego 14, Minooka 7
Running back Paul Salopek was the driving force in a fourth quarter game-winning touchdown drive as Oswego collected its fifth-straight victory.
Salopek, a 5-foot-11-inch senior, had one catch for 31 yards and carried five times for 28 yards–including a 4-yard TD run–in the 10-play drive that put the Panthers (5-0, 3-0) ahead for good with 8 minutes 55 seconds remaining in the game.
Minooka (3-2, 2-1) grabbed an early lead on a 2-yard TD run by junior Russ Weil late in the opening quarter.
But Oswego took advantage of a Weil fumble in the second quarter and marched 55 yards in 11 plays to tie the game 7-7 on Salopek’s 2-yard run run at the 5:46 mark.
The Panthers then denied a Minooka score right before the half when cornerback Tim Klatt intercepted quarterback Casey Krakowski in the end zone.
Salopek, who also had a fourth-quarter interception return for 40 yards, ended the night with 57 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Oswego is off to its best start since an unbeaten regular season in 1995.
Jack McCarthy.
Brother Rice 35, St. Laurence 21: John Burns ran for two touchdowns and 97 yards on 16 carries while Dan Hennigan returned an interception 43 yards for a score to lead the Crusaders (4-1, 1-1) in the Catholic Metro Blue.
Crystal Lake South 12, Woodstock 7: Trailing 7-6 through most of the second half, the Gators (5-0, 5-0) prevailed in the Fox Valley as Trent Steckel scored on a 19-yard run with 1:01 left. Steckel gained 108 yards on 25 carries.
Deerfield 33, Glenbrook North 19: Billy Nardini scored four touchdowns as Deerfield (3-2, 1-0) handed Glenbrook North (3-2, 0-1) its first loss in the Central Suburban North since 1998. Nardini gained 219 yards on 10 carries. He had touchdown runs of 5, 74, 58 and 61 yards.
Downers Grove North 17, Oak Park 0: In the first minute of the West Suburban Silver contest, David O’Rourke broke a 62-yard run for a touchdown to spark the Trojans (3-2, 2-1). Cody Cielenski and Richard O’Rourke each had three sacks as the Downers North defense held Oak Park (3-2, 1-1) to 14 yards rushing.
Evanston 30, Glenbrook South 8: Alex Brown rushed 24 times for 207 yards and three touchdowns to guide the Wildkits (3-2, 1-0) in the Central Suburban South.
Glenbard East 42, West Aurora 28: In a game that had 759 combined yards, Aaron Boulton had 148 yards and two touchdowns rushing and quarterback Matt Coppock added three TDs–two rushing and one passing–for the Rams (2-3, 2-1) in the DuPage Valley win. Kevin Hoffman threw for two touchdowns for West Aurora (3-2, 1-2).
Hersey 17, Rolling Meadows 10: Matt Standish’s 2-yard TD run and a 19-yard scoring pass from Mike Chernick to Nick Kramshelped the Huskies (3-2, 1-0) overcome a 7-3 halftime deficit to win in the Mid-Suburban East. Jake Livingston threw for 113 yards and a touchdown for Rolling Meadows (2-3, 0-1).
Hinsdale South 48, Morton 0: The Hornets (1-4, 1-2), a Class 7A quarterfinalist last season, finally moved into the win column as Albert Monaco carried 18 times for 165 yards and had a 64-yard touchdown run in the West Suburban Gold contest.
Lake Park 41, East Aurora 6: Dave Hochstetter and Mike Menotti combined for 249 yards rushing and three TDs as the Lancers (5-0, 3-0) scored 41 unanswered points in the Upstate Eight.
Lake Zurich 49, Crystal Lake Central 27: Chris Redding had 15 carries for 134 yards and four TDs as the Bears (5-0, 5-0) stayed perfect in the Fox Valley.
Marian Catholic 35, St. Patrick 0: Joe Grubisic passed for one TD and ran for three more for the Spartans (5-0).
Neuqua Valley 40, DeKalb 7: Jason Horton caught five passes for 156 yards and a touchdown to lead the Wildcats (3-2, 3-0) in the Upstate Eight. Horton also had a 91-yard kickoff return for a score in the first quarter.
Niles West 42, Waukegan 22: Walter Mendenhall rushed 19 times for 173 yards and two touchdowns and younger brother Rashard gained 135 yards and a TD on nine carries for Niles West (4-0, 1-0), which led 35-0 at the half in the Central Suburban South. Waukegan is 2-3, 0-1.
Palatine 14, Schaumburg 12: Aaron Newman’s 35-yard touchdown run on a triple reverse in the fourth quarter gave Palatine the lead for good in the Mid-Suburban West. A 2-yard touchdown run by Schaumburg’s Tom Myszka cut the Palatine lead to 14-12, but the Pirates (3-2, 1-0) were able to run out the final 7:38 for the win.
“That’s our main goal in the fourth quarter, to keep the ball moving,” said Palatine’s Tony LaCapra who finished with 136 yards on 27 carries.
Jamail Bradley had 85 yards rushing for the Saxons (1-4, 0-1).
Rich Central 32, Rich East 25: Terrell Blackshire and Segun Ayeni each scored two touchdowns for Rich Central (3-2, 2-1) in the SICA Green. Blackshire gained 116 yards on 10 carries and Ayeni rushed for 89 yards. Rich East is 2-3, 0-3.
St. Charles North 44, St. Charles East 13: The Stars (2-3, 2-1) rolled in the Upstate Eight as Dom Cozzi rushed 21 times for 176 yards and four TDs.
Streamwood 22, Larkin 13: Mike Shannon’s 2-yard run and Joey Humann’s 8-yard pass to Eddie Jordan in the third quarter helped Streamwood (3-2, 2-2) eclipse a 7-3 deficit for the Upstate Eight win. Eric Schultz passed a TD and ran for another for Larkin (3-2, 2-2).
Thornton Fractional South 48, Oak Lawn 20: Pierre Thomas gained 264 yards and scored five touchdowns on only 12 carries for T.F. South (5-0, 3-0) in the SICA Orange. Brad Scaduto rushed for 177 yards on 32 carries for Oak Lawn (1-4, 1-2).
Vernon Hills 21, Grant 6: Kevin Rhedin returned an interception 20 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter to seal the North Suburban Prairie win for the Cougars (4-1, 1-0).
Wheaton Warrenville South 31, West Chicago 20: Joe Blais tossed TD passes of 35 and 11 yards to Nick Crossley and Brett Adamson, respectively, for the Tigers (3-2, 2-1) in the DuPage Valley.
York 31, Willowbrook 27: With 4:45 left in the final quarter, Andy Shields hit Bryan Belville with an 8-yard scoring strike to lift York (4-1) in a non-conference game. Shields finished with 220 yards passing and added a TD run.
Zion-Benton 30, North Chicago 26: Z-B (4-1, 1-0) trailed 26-16 in the fourth quarter but started to rally with a 17-yard touchdown run by Marcus Denham with 5:32 left. Ricky Martinez recovered an onsides kick six seconds later, which helped set up Kyle Grimes’ 31-yard touchdown pass to Alex Morrison. Denham rushed 22 times for 208 yards and Grimes went 7-of-19 for 134 yards in the North Suburban Prairie game. Torris Childs gained 130 yards on 16 carries for North Chicago (3-2, 0-1).
