Wheaton N. ends long wait
Wheaton North’s first trip to the state semifinals in 20 years didn’t come on the back of a flashy, standout victory. The Falcons gritted out a cold, wet road victory Friday, beating Willowbrook 10-3 in Villa Park to advance to the Class 7A semis.
Luke Beedle’s two-yard run in the final minute gave Wheaton North the crucial first down that sealed the victory.
‘‘It was the biggest play of my life — two yards,’’ Beedle said. ‘‘It’s the best feeling ever. We’ve been saying it all year, but doing it is what counts.’’
Beedle, a junior, had 12 carries for 42 yards. Sophomore Walker Owens added 10 carries for 52 yards for the Falcons (11-1).
‘‘It was tough out there,’’ Owens said. ‘‘But it felt good at the end. We were grinding out first downs and running out the clock. That’s all we really needed to do.’’
Neither team scored in the second half. Both teams kicked field goals in the first half, and Wheaton North quarterback Mark Forcucci scored the only touchdown of the game on a one-yard run with 3:41 left in the second quarter.
‘‘[Willowbrook] is used to playing in these big games,’’ Falcons coach Joe Wardynski said. ‘‘I heard they had been in at least the quarterfinals five years in a row. So we knew those kids weren’t going to back down. They battled until the end. But so did our kids.’’
Wheaton North will host Brother Rice in the semifinals.
Hawks flying high
Maine South, one of the most storied football programs in the state, somehow has flown under the radar a bit this season.
The Hawks have been highly ranked in the Super 25 since beating Warren on the road in early September. But a loss to Palatine two weeks later knocked Maine South out of the ranks of the elite, according to some observers.
Coach Dave Inserra’s squad passed its biggest test of the season in the quarterfinals, defeating Neuqua Valley 14-13 on the road.
Next up is a tough matchup at Marist in the semifinals, but the Hawks might be the best road team in the area this season.
Phillips eliminated
Richmond-Burton, winners of 32 consecutive games, beat Phillips 27-26 in the Class 4A quarterfinals Saturday.
The Rockets led 14-0 early, but Phillips had a big second quarter, led briefly and trailed 21-20 at halftime. The Wildcats fell short on a pair of two-point conversions in the game but had a chance to win it on the final play before Richmond-Burton picked off Tyler Turner’s pass at the goal line.
Turner connected with Avante Savage on two touchdown passes, including an 84-yarder.
Phillips was the last Public League team alive in the playoffs.
Zinanni’s run ends
Undefeated Wilmington topped Bishop McNamara 45-25 in a Class 2A quarterfinal Saturday. The Wildcats didn’t attempt a pass and ran for 427 yards and six touchdowns.
A tip of the cap to Fighting Irish coach Rich Zinanni, who retires after a tremendous career. Zinanni has coached Bishop McNamara since 1975. He won nearly 400 games and five state championships.