WOLVERINES SURGE PAST REDHAWKS
Simeon uses 28-0 second-half spurt to earn its first berth in state semifinals
Simeon did not panic after falling behind by seven to defending Class 8A state champion Naperville Central early in the second half of Saturday’s quarterfinal in Naperville.
Senior quarterback Timon Watkins and the No. 9 Wolverines responded by scoring 28 unanswered points in a 34-20 victory against the No. 8 Redhawks.
Simeon (11-1) earned its first trip to the state semifinals with the win.
Watkins jump-started the Wolverines’ rally after connecting with receiver Jordan Reid on thirdand-24 for a 30-yard pass to Naperville Central’s 7-yard line. Watkins ran in a score on the next play to tie the game at 13.
Dion Earls Jr. had an eight-yard touchdown run on the Wolverines’ next drive for a 20-13 lead.
With momentum still up for grabs early in the fourth quarter, Simeon caught a break on a fum- bled punt snap to Matt Fleming after the Redhawks were flagged for a facemask penalty.
On the replay of the down, Fleming fumbled the punt snap again, but picked it up and scrambled before finding a wide-open Trayonne Ware for a 25-yard catch and a first down.
Watkins finished off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 27-13.
‘‘It’s a good feeling, coming in and facing the defending champs,” Simeon coach Dante Culbreath. ‘‘We knew they’d be tough.’’
Watkins finished 13-for-19 for 117 yards and rushed 17 times for 58 yards and two touchdowns. Earls had 18 carries for 71 yards and two touchdowns.
For Naperville Central (9-3), quarterback Conor Joyce completed 15 of 21 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns, while senior running back Kevin Clifford ran for 41 yards on 18 carries and hauled in a 51-yard touchdown catch.
‘‘The turnovers killed us,’’ Naperville Central coach Mike Stine said. “We had three — and they didn’t have any. They’re an athletic team and were able to turn some busted plays into something.”
‘‘The team that makes the most mistakes will go home the loser most of the time and today that was us,’’ Redhawks linebacker Bobby McMillan said.
‘‘Maybe we got a little complacent in the second half. We had to play 48 minutes.’’