For most of the first half against Hinsdale Central, the Oak Park-River Forest football team could get nothing going. On its first five drives, OPRF managed just 24 yards and zero first downs.
But on the sixth drive, sophomore quarterback Toby Kunkel hit junior wide receiver Trevon Brown down the right sideline for 32 yards. Two plays later Kunkel found Brown again, this time Brown tiptoed his feet inbounds on the right edge of the end zone to cut the Red Devils’ lead to one touchdown.
The pair struck again in the third quarter. Kunkel heaved ball from inside his own 20 down the middle of the field. Brown leaped up and won the jump ball, evaded a tackle and raced down the sideline for a 73-yard touchdown that again made it a one-possession game.
In spite of Brown’s six-catch, 148-yard performance, the Huskies lost the West Suburban Silver game 21-13 on Friday in Oak Park.
It wasn’t Brown’s first noteworthy performance of the season. He also caught the game-winning touchdown in OPRF’s 29-28 win over Simeon in Week 1.
“He had a really big play in the Simeon game,” OPRF coach John Hoerster said after the Hinsdale Central game. “And we saw some glimpses in practice. … When he made that play, we knew that he was going to be a kid who was going to be pretty special.”
Brown said that coming into the season he didn’t expect to have the success he’s had thus far.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all,” the Oak Park resident said Friday. “I was just trying to win games, help the team out, do what I do, and do what I do best to win the games for the team.”
Whether expected or not, the Huskies (2-1, 0-1) looks completely different on offense when Brown is stretching the field. Before the 73-yard touchdown pass against Hinsdale Central, OPRF senior running back Terrance Roundy carried the ball 18 times for 27 yards. His final three carries went for 50 yards as the Red Devils secondary played deeper.
“When we were at least able to give a hint of a threat of throwing the ball, then they couldn’t just fly into the box,” Hoerster said. “And that allowed the running game to open up.”
As Brown continues to get more defensive attention, he hopes it will open up things for the rest of the offense.
“If I catch a big play, the defense will think I’m the target and my other receivers can get open,” he said. “It makes me feel like I’m contributing to the team, helping the team out.”
Jakub Rudnik is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
