Neuqua Valley wins shootout at West Aurora

West Aurora certainly had the momentum going into halftime after TJ Jackson broke a tackle and entered the end zone with no time remaining in the second quarter.

But Neuqua Valley stopped the Blackhawks at critical junctures in the third quarter Friday night in Aurora, and its first two scores of the second half created enough separation for the Wildcats to escape with a 48-35 Upstate Eight Valley victory.

"Even though they scored on that Hail Mary, I knew that our team didn't give up," said Dominick Muoghalu, the Wildcats' feature back who carried the ball 18 times for 98 yards and 3 scores. "We let our offense know, we let our defense know that we weren't going to give up."

Isaiah Robertson ignited the Neuqua Valley attack in the first quarter as the Wildcats scored twice in less than two minutes to start the game. The sophomore returned the opening kickoff 52 yards; the Wildcats (4-2, 4-0) needed but three plays for Charlie Hunter to open the floodgates with a 16-yard run.

Patrick Lovelace created a turnover on the Blackhawks' opening play from scrimmage, and Broc Rutter found a streaking Washington down the left sideline for a 30-yard touchdown strike.

"I couldn't have done it without my teammates," Washington said. "We always score a bunch of points (167 in the last three games) and do well. (The offensive players) all know what to do."

Muoghalu negated a pair of big plays from West Aurora (1-5, 1-3) with consecutive touchdowns for the Wildcats.

Rutter, meanwhile, operated the Wildcats' offense as effectively as he was consistent.

The senior finished 7-for-13 for 152 yards as Brett Borske hauled in a 26-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter to give Neuqua Valley a commanding 48-22 lead.

Owen Piche caught a Rutter lateral for another score as the Wildcats made the most of their 318 yards of offense.

But the defense was the prime reason for the Wildcats getting the ball in superlative positions.

"We could not get our running game going," West Aurora coach Nate Eimer said. "I have to give (the Neuqua Valley defense) credit. That was the best group of linebackers we have seen this year. No. 6 (Derrick Warkenthien), No. 7 (Bunge) and No. 42 (Joey Lincoln) - they were phenomenal."

But there were plenty of positives for West Aurora.

Drake Spears' propensity for game-changing plays was once again on display.

The junior had the Blackhawks' second kickoff return in as many weeks two-plus minutes in the first quarter to slice the Wildcats' two-score lead in half.

DaQuan Cross had yet another brilliant play for the Blackhawks' second touchdown, scoring on a fourth-and-5 play from the Wildcats' 35-yard line on a reverse.

But undersized quarterback Jonathan Doyle was the heart of the team.

The junior scampered 15 times for a game-high 73 yards and connected with six different receivers for 201 yards passing on 24 attempts.

"It was a little underthrown, but (Jackson) caught it in stride," Doyle said of collaboration to end the first half. "He made a good play on it. It was all TJ."

Jackson caught the ensuing 2-point pass off an improvised conversion attempt to slice the Blackhawks' deficit to 34-22 at halftime.

Jackson also had a 1-yard plunge for another score, only to leave the game late after a vicious tackle.

"It was helmet to helmet," Eimer said of the collision. "It's the kind of thing we need to get out of this game. (Doyle) is the kind of leader you want on your team. He is incredibly tough."

Spears' 17-yard hookup from Doyle completed the scoring.