Weather bumps Aurora Central’s game to Monday

Hold the barbecued ribs and pass the pigskin. Aurora Central Catholic’s football team has something different cooking on Labor Day.

At about 5:05 p.m. Saturday the Chargers’ home game against Marengo at Bob Stewart Field was suspended until noon on Monday due to lightning and the unlikely chance the weather would improve anytime soon after the mandated waiting period.

The Chargers and Marengo, each 1-0, will resume play with 7:47 left in the first quarter and ACC lining up for an extra point after scoring on the game’s first possession.

“We told them they were the only show in town here, so everyone’s going to want to come see them,” ACC coach Brian Casey said of Saturday’s scheduled 4 p.m. start. Due to lightning delays during the sophomore game, which officials ended after three quarters with ACC up 34-0, the varsity start was backed up about 45 minutes.

“Now literally, unless you’re a big fan of Miami and Maryland, we really are the only show in town,” Casey said.

Those with rain checks will see a Chargers offense that clicked aside from penalties that threatened to sabotage their touchdown drive.

Luke Dickerson returned the opening kickoff 32 yards. A 13-yard Steven Amoni run and quarterback Kyle Clechenko’s 37-yard jaunt around end on third-and-12 sent the Chargers to Marengo’s 2-yard line.

Two holding penalties and another for illegal motion backed ACC up to Marengo’s 19-yard line. After a short gain, on fourth-and-goal from the 16 Clechenko pumped a fake to Matt Nass split wide right, then rolled left and under heavy pressure found Brian Bohr in the end zone.

“I’m sure Kyle would tell you it wasn’t the prettiest ball, but you know what? He sits here right now with one touchdown and no interceptions,” Casey said.

The co-captain’s touchdown strike was followed by a lightning strike, then another too close for officials to ignore. ACC must wait to seek its first 2-0 start since 2002.

“It’ll be a chore to get them back here Monday, get them up ready to go again for a game that they were already jacked up for, twice. We’ll see,” Casey said.

“I’m confident, these kids have pretty good resolve, they’re tough kids. They’re football players, they like playing the game. So when those light go on — Monday afternoon — they’re here to play football.”