WW South surprises No. 1 seed
Not so fast.
For those who thought Wheaton Warrenville South’s two-year reign as Class 7A state football champion might be nearing an end, the Tigers sent a little message.
They aren’t going anywhere.
WW South sent a shock wave through the 7A bracket with Friday’s 7-0 upset win over top-seeded and previously unbeaten Lincoln-Way East in Frankfort.
A 17-yard touchdown pass from Thaddeus Armstrong to Sam Prete midway through the second quarter proved to be the only points of the night. WW South’s defensive effort included 6 sacks of Griffins quarterback Blake Winkler, 51 second-half yards allowed and a batted down pass in the end zone as time expired to end the game.
The ninth-seeded Tigers (8-3) move on to the quarterfinals for the eighth time in nine years to face the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 4 Oswego and No. 5 East St. Louis. WW South will be at home if Oswego (8-2) wins, but the Tigers would travel to East St. Louis (8-2).
“We were going on all cylinders, and that’s what we needed in a big game like this,” said Tigers defensive back Zach Kyllonen, who snared a goal-line interception in the final minute of the first half. “There’s a tradition in this school to win in the playoffs, and that’s what we’re trying to do. We’re going for a three-peat.”
Winkler, who completed 13 of 17 passes for 131 yards, and the Griffins came in averaging 38 points a game. They hadn’t been shut out since the opening week of the 2004 season.
With intense pressure from their defensive line and lockdown coverage in their secondary, the Tigers found a way to stymie Lincoln-Way East (10-1).
“What a defensive effort by them, especially in the first half,” said Griffins coach Rob Zvonar. “We thought we kind of controlled the first half everywhere but the scoreboard, but that’s why they’re the two-time defending state champs.”
After missed field goals of 38 and 46 yards on their opening two possessions, the Griffins made it inside the red zone only once on the drive that ended with Kyllonen’s interception.
Five sacks came in the second half, including three by Tigers lineman Jack Lipinsky. After outgaining WW South 166-63 in the first half, the Griffins amassed only 51 second-half yards against WW South’s 59.
“We knew what they were going to do and we shut them down,” Lipinsky said. “You know that team is going to pass, and we’re amped up. We’re ready to get to the quarterback.”
Despite WW South’s offensive struggles, punter Nick Campos helped the Tigers win the crucial battle for field position. His 56-yard punt in the second quarter pinned down the Griffins at their 3-yard line.
A three-and-out and a short punt returned by Mike Shelton set up the Tigers at the Griffins’ 24-yard line. Three plays later Armstrong found Prete down the middle for the touchdown.
“Anytime you shut out a team like that and you win on one possession offensively, I’d say it’s a pretty darn good job,” said Tigers coach Ron Muhitch. “It might be up there with one of the top performances.”