The first round of the state football playoffs had its heroes last weekend.
Dan Miller had never caught a pass in a high school varsity game — until Saturday.
The Downers Grove South outside linebacker moonlights as a tight end as part of the Mustangs’ power package. The 6-foot, 180-pound senior cradled a 5-yard touchdown pass from Chandler Whitmer with 4:23 left to give No. 7 Downers Grove South a 22-21 first-round 8A playoff victory over No. 10 Waubonsie Valley at Benedictine University in Lisle.
“I just remember having it my hands and thinking, ‘I can’t believe I just scored a touchdown.’ That was my first catch ever, no interceptions.”
Meanwhile, defending champion Maine South didn’t safely put away Oak Park until quarterback Tyler Benz ran for a 6-yard touchdown with 2 minutes, 17 seconds left in Maine South’s 28-14 win.
It was the 24th-straight victory for No. 1 Maine South (10-0) and snapped a three-game win streak for No. 16 Oak Park (5-5).
Maine South’s offense (44 points per game) was limited to 123 yards in the second half, and the defense needed an interception at the Hawks’ 12 to stop a long Huskies drive early in the fourth quarter.
“We needed a big play,” said South’s Ronnie Muck, who intercepted Jack Rogalla with the Hawks leading 21-7. “I wasn’t sure if he was going to throw it, but I was going to be there for the pick.”
Indiana-bound Matt Perez, who gained 140 yards on 19 carries, scored on runs of 10 and 23 yards to help the Hawks build a 14-0 lead in the opening seven minutes.
“Our main goal is to get out ahead and not play catchup like we did last year in the first round,” said Perez, who also blocked a field goal. “That worked for the most part, but we gotta put ’em away.”
MORE SCORES
CLASS 5A
No. 3 Glenbard South 35, No. 14 Rochelle 14
No. 16 Wheaton Academy 20, No. 1 Hillcrest 19 (OT)
CLASS 6A
No. 4 Lemont 37, No. 13 Lincoln-Way North 0
No. 1 Danville 50, No. 16 Oak Lawn 0
No. 9 Highland Park 39, No. 8 Mather 7
CLASS 7A
No. 2 Wheaton Warrenville South 61, No. 7 St. Laurence 6
No. 3 Geneva 36, No. 6 Shepard 8
No. 1 Glenbard West 28, No. 16 Rockford Guilford 0
No. 11 Lake Zurich 16, No. 6 Rolling Meadows 6
No. 4 St. Rita 40, No. 5 Plainfield North 14
No. 15 Wheaton North 17, No. 2 Rockford Boylan 13
CLASS 8A
No. 2 Bolingbrook 17, No. 15 Lyons 10
No. 1 Fremd 22, No. 16 Naperville North 14
No. 3 Glenbard North 29, No. 14 Andrew 0
No. 5 Naperville Central 28, No. 12 Lockport 16
No. 11 Sandburg 35, No. 6 Hinsdale Central 10
No. 2 Stevenson 28, No. 15 New Trier 7
No. 4 Marist 41, No. 13 Schaumburg 14
