The folks at New Trier threw quite a party Friday night in Northfield, combining homecoming and senior night into one festive celebration.
Maine South brought the fireworks.
Quarterback Charlie Goro and receiver Joey Orlando lit up the night sky, igniting a high-tech passing attack in No. 8 Maine South’s 42-7 victory over New Trier.
“Our offensive line gave me lots of time, and our receivers made some great plays,” said Goro, who completed 25 of 33 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns. “If there’s such a thing as having too much time to pass, it happened tonight.
“Everything was clicking real well. Our timing was really on tonight, especially the way our receivers ran their routes. All I had to do was throw the football.”
In wrapping up its seventh consecutive Central Suburban South title, Maine South (7-1, 4-0) scored on its first four possessions.
A Goro-to-Orlando 32-yard completion set up David Chao for a 1-yard TD run. On the Hawks’ next possession, Goro and Orlando teamed up on a spectacular 83-yard touchdown pass.
“Once I caught it, I knew I had to get past some people,” said Orlando, who made the most of a huge block from fellow wideout Jake Gatziolis. “I broke away from one arm tackle, and Jake gave me that great block. Once I took off, I knew I wasn’t going to get caught.”
Orlando finished with nine receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns.
“They were double-teaming (leading receiver) Danny Benson, and that left one of us open,” Orlando said about the four-receiver attack. “I’m glad it was me.”
Running back George Brigandi (17 carries, 113 yards) rushed three times for all 68 yards on the Trevians’ lone scoring drive, finishing with a 30-yard TD run in the first quarter.
Back came Goro and his team, with Orlando snatching a 22-yard touchdown pass. Benson’s 43-yard punt return led to an 8-yard touchdown run by Chao as the Hawks led 28-7 at halftime.
It’s been quite a run for the Hawks, who have won 34 straight conference games.
Stephen Spellman returned the third-quarter kickoff 83 yards for New Trier (6-2, 3-1), but the Hawks’ defense rose up and stopped the Trevians on a fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Midway through the fourth quarter, Goro hooked up with Gatziolis on a timing route that resulted in a 13-yard touchdown pass.
“This might have been our best offense of the season,” Goro said.
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bsakamoto@tribune.com
