West Aurora falls short at Plainfield East
Editor's Note: This story has been updated to correctly identify the Plainfield East halfback as Jake Mayon.
The West Aurora football team had one final chance at redemption after several missed scoring opportunities.
But the Blackhawks' final play against Plainfield East - fourth-and-goal from the Bengals' 5-yard line in the waning seconds Friday night - failed after a muffed exchange from center.
The Bengals, who had 150 of their 280 yards from scrimmage on two long plays from halfback Jake Mayon, escaped with the 14-7 nonconference victory in Plainfield.
"We didn't get it done," West Aurora coach Nate Eimer said after his squad fell to 0-2. "On the flip side, we battled our tails off. We're getting better; we just need a win."
The opening kickoff did not portend well for the West Aurora fortunes when DaQuan Cross' apparent 83-yard return for a score was nullified on a holding penalty.
"It was tough," said Cross, ranked one of the top sophomores in the state. "I felt we would have had a great game after that."
The Blackhawks dominated the time of possession throughout the game as the unfavorable conditions played into their running-focused, ball-control attack.
But on four straight possessions - following a fumble recovery, a Jovontte Bolden interception, a failed Plainfield onside kick and shanked Bengal punt deep in its own end - West Aurora had ideal field possession.
On all four occasions, though, West Aurora was denied on loss of downs at the Bengals' 9-yard line, a three-and-out, a missed 26-yard field goal and first-down fumble loss on its penultimate second-quarter possession.
"The quarterback and fullback didn't get the handoff right, and it slipped right through them," Eimer said of the turnover at the Bengals' 18-yard line. "We have to capitalize there."
Plainfield East (2-0) essentially prevailed on two plays Mayon executed to perfection.
The junior broke free for an 84-yard run to highlight the Bengals' five-play, 95-yard second-quarter drive that gave Plainfield East a 7-0 halftime lead.
The Bengals doubled their lead when Mayon turned a middle screen into a 66-yard scoring romp on their third play from scrimmage after the break.
"Great blocking on the outside (on the long run that quarterback Cole Kotopka capped from 2 yards out)," Mayon said. "I just saw a big hole and took advantage of it. (On the pass play) I just did a quick cut back and all I had to do was run."
Mayon finished with 181 yards rushing for the night.
West Aurora quickly responded on its ensuing drive.
Cross, the Blackhawks' right back in their new-look wing-T offense, had 61 yards on 6 carries in the 11-play, 70-yard scoring march.
Cross' 6-yard run around left end halved the Blackhawks' deficit.
"We have to do some work on (doing better in the red zone)," Cross said.
West Aurora quarterback Jonathan Doyle led the team with 87 yards on the ground; Cross finished with 64 yards, and senior back Tarshma Jackson added 45 more.