Waubonsie Valley blanks Bartlett

With explosive offensive threats like Waubonsie Valley’s Austin Guido and Bartlett’s Aaron Everson, one might have expected a high scoring matchup in Friday night’s Upstate Eight Conference Valley Division football showdown.

However, it was a defensive battle that ended in the Warriors defeating the host Hawks 19-0 at Millennium Field in Streamwood.

Bartlett (3-2, 2-1) was held to 142 total yards and Waubonsie Valley (5-0, 2-0) to 258, and the Warriors’ defense secured the victory in the final two minutes of the game.

“We had a message to send that we have a really good team, and we have a good defense,” said Waubonsie Valley defensive back Jeff Markham.

With the Warriors clinging to a 6-0 lead, Markham intercepted Bartlett quarterback Jordan Flint and ran back 35 yards for a touchdown and a 12-0 lead with 1:52 left in the game.

Keon Dantzler then intercepted Flint on the Hawks’ following possession, and Guido (154 rushing yards, 174 total) capped the scoring with a 20-yard TD run.

Everson came into the game with 17 total touchdowns and racked up 100 rushing yards, 111 total, and he was the focus for the Warriors’ defense.

“He’s their No. 1 gun, and we obviously keyed on him,” Warriors’ coach Paul Murphy said. “He got some yards, but we kept him out of the end zone. The stats don’t matter, it’s what is on the scoreboard that does.”

Waubonsie Valley found the end zone with 37.7 seconds left in the first quarter on a 10-yard TD run by quarterback Dylan Warden.

The Hawks’ best scoring chance came in the final minute of the first half as Steve Hrbacek’s 33-yard field goal attempt had the distance but sailed just wide left. It was the first play for Hrbacek since the third play from scrimmage in Week 1 when he suffered an injury as the Hawks’ opening day QB.

Bartlett’s defense had some big plays including Chris Kantzavelos forcing a fumble to end a Warriors’ drive that ended at the Hawks’ 30-yard line. Nick Selig and Alex Piedra had back-to-back sacks on the Warriors’ first possession of the second half to force a three-and-out.

“My kids played their hearts out,” Bartlett coach Tom Meaney said. “I’m really proud of our defense, and we had some yards on offense. They worked so hard, and I’m proud of their effort.”