Lake Park stuns Naperville North
Before Friday, Lake Park junior quarterback Jaron Fields could count his varsity snaps each game on one hand.
"I've played a couple of reps here and there, depending on the games," Fields said, who usually watches senior Mike Perry. "Last week I got one and this week (Lake Park coach Chris Roll) said we'll split 50-50 and see how it goes."
By the end of Lancers' 35-21 victory over Naperville North, the count was the big plays that Fields initiated in contributing to their first homecoming victory in five years and first week of games that count in the DuPage Valley Conference standings.
Fields rushed for 79 yards with a 25-yard TD and completed 3 passes for 72 yards for Lake Park (4-1, 1-0). His 53-yard TD pass play with Tommie Jackson just 10 seconds before halftime opened a 21-0 lead that swung the momentum the Lancers' way for good.
"I love (quarterback). I love it," Fields said. "I'm called a gunslinger - sometimes. I just launched it up. I noticed that (Jackson) had a height advantage and he's one of our quickest players. I knew he could go up and get it, and we ended up scoring a touchdown."
Perry threw a 7-yard TD to Antonio Shenault to open a 28-0 lead in the third quarter. Fields' TD run put Lake Park ahead 35-7 in the fourth quarter before the Huskies (2-3, 0-1) added two scores in the final 3:22.
Roll, the Lancers' quarterback coach, has used a two-quarterback system in two previous seasons, including his 2003 state quarterfinalists.
"If you have a quarterback controversy, that's different than having quarterback versatility," Roll said. "I feel like both Mike and Jaron can do some unique things. Mike's a senior leader, and Jaron is kind of a dynamic junior. I demand that they work together, too, because they have to believe in that. They're not really competing for the job. They're competing for reps."
Perry started, but Fields sparked the Lancers' first possession with a 38-yard run to the 3. Kenny Jones then added the first of his two 2-yard TD runs.
"Last week we had a lot of regret (in losing to Wheaton North 17-10). I think there was just this instant gratification of getting a big play out of the gate," Roll said. "And then our defense is always good. It was awesome. But we needed to score."
Fields' TD pass also was a huge swing. On the Huskies' previous drive, they scored a touchdown on a fourth-and-1 with a 33-yard TD pass from Chris Gajcak to Morgan Osborne, who entered undetected along the Huskies' sideline just before the snap.
The play, however, was nullified by an illegal substitution. On the next play Jontrell Mitchell intercepted Gajcak, and the Lancers scored again three plays later.
"That was a huge turnaround," Roll said.
"I just read the play and tried to get the ball for our team," Marshall said. "It's huge. Our first win in the DVC. We've been practicing all week and our hard work and dedication paid off."
Naperville North switched its quarterbacks at halftime. Senior Evan Kujawski was 13 for 22 for 191 yards and 3 TDs in the second half, two of them to Gajcak. The Huskies were held to 55 yards in the first half.
"They thoroughly outplayed us. They did a great job," Naperville North coach Sean Drendel said. "I thought our kids fought at the end to get back at the end and I'm proud of them. That piece I like. I didn't like anything in the first half. They were better than us."
What will the Lancers do in the future at quarterback? Fields is excited just to play after two injuries to his meniscus over the past two seasons.
"Now it'll be week to week," Roll said. "I could play Jaron the whole game. I could play Mike the whole game. I could play them half. As a quarterbacks coach, it's nice to be able to do that."