As much as the high school game has changed, some things always will remain the same.
The spread option, high school football’s in-the-now offense, was on full display Saturday, with Naperville Central and Waubonsie Valley throwing a combined 65 passes.
But the statistic that mattered most was turnovers. Naperville Central will not get away with committing three most days, but that number paled in comparison to the six it forced in a 25-17 victory.
Nick Linne was 19 of 33 for 156 yards and a touchdown. He was dangerous on the ground, too, going for 52 yards and a score. Paul Wirtz also scored on an interception return to lead the defense before an estimated crowd of 3,500 at Benedictine University in Lisle.
“Our offense was kind of on and off all day,” said Linne, who is back after throwing for more than 1,700 yards as a junior last fall. “We are looking to get sharper every week. This weekend showed that the DuPage Valley Conference is one of the toughest leagues in the state. Only one team lost. We know we’re going to have to get better every week.”
Not surprisingly, one of the nine turnovers turned out to be the game’s biggest play.
Wirtz, a senior safety, stepped in front of a bubble screen and raced 44 yards to give Naperville Central a 25-10 lead with 11 minutes 40 seconds left.
He said facing an offense similar to the one the Redhawks run made it easier to prepare.
“We got a good look from our scout team offense,” Wirtz said.
At times, Linne was masterful in running an offense that relies heavily on the quarterback’s read at the line of scrimmage. The 6-foot-2-inch, 210-pound senior completed 10 of 14 passes on the game’s opening possession, successfully dinking and dunking down the field before hitting Pat Caulfield with a 3-yard touchdown pass to complete an 18-play, 80-yard drive.
Linne led Naperville Central on a 14-play, 82-yard drive at the end of the half, running the final 3 yards himself to make it 18-7.
“I love this offense,” Linne said. “This being my second year in it, coach is opening it up more, giving me more responsibility. I would say I made the call at the line 95 percent of the time today. I’m not calling the plays. I’m getting two or three reads and making the decision.”
Player of the game: Nick Linne, Naperville Central, 19-33, 156 yards, TD; 10 rushes, 52 yards, TD; 4 punts, 182 yards (45.5 average)
Key performers: Kenny Clay, Waubonsie, 16-25, 137 yards; 3-yard TD run; Tre Clark, Waubonsie, 13 carries, 102 yards
