One measure of a great defense is how audacious its goals become every week.
While Downers Grove South may have failed to record its third straight shutout, the Mustangs can take solace in a still-dominant 31-14 victory at crosstown rival Downers Grove North on Friday night.
“With the way we play defense, we expect to win every game,” said South middle linebacker Dan Mersch, who also caught one of Sean Enright’s four touchdown passes.
“So coming in here, we just had to play our hearts out and play a great game.”
Ten points on its first two possessions and Mersch’s 47-yard TD catch 61 seconds into the second half gave South (6-3) a 17-7 lead and was more than the Mustangs needed to seal their first win over North (5-4) in four years. Enright and Mike Edwards connected for their second score of the night (25 yards) with 10:13 left in the game, and Joe Rizzo’s 33-yard TD catch with 4:33 left made it 31-7.
North’s offense was stymied throughout, spending only five plays in Mustangs’ territory until the game’s final minutes. Brendan Briscoe threw two touchdown passes to Patrick Galligan for the Trojans’ points. “We started out trying to run because they were packing everyone into the box,” Enright said. “Later we started running play-action and it worked great.”
South soph Scottie Williams had 102 yards in 25 carries.
