Benet gets start it needed
The good news for Benet is the Redwings are off to a 2-0 start after defeating O'Fallon 41-3 Friday night at Benedictine University in Lisle.
The bad news is the rest of their football schedule.
To earn its fourth straight IHSA state playoff bid, Benet will have to battle its way through another punishing stretch of games in the East Suburban Catholic Conference, starting with the league opener Sept. 11 against Notre Dame at Benedictine. If the Redwings are to reach the postseason again, they'll need to rely on a stingy defense and a quick-striking offense to navigate past the likes of defending state champion Nazareth, Joliet Catholic, Marist and the rest of one of the state's most challenging football conferences.
"This win was good for us because we have a loaded conference, and every win is important for getting into the playoffs again," running back Marty Dosen said of the victory over the Panthers, who traveled north from the St. Louis area for a second week in a row after driving five hours to face Hinsdale Central on Aug. 28. "We didn't play a perfect game, even though the score may not show it, but we just wore them down with our defense and stuck with it on offense after a slow start."
After exploding for 42 points in a season-opening win at St. Laurence last week, the Redwings' offense struggled for much of the first half against O'Fallon (0-2). But Benet's young but talented defense took up the slack, even tallying the first nine points of the game all by itself. The Redwings went ahead 2-0 in the first quarter when safety Alec McEachern tackled O'Fallon tailback Kentrail Moran in the Panthers' end zone for a safety. McEachern found himself in the same end zone less than two minutes later when linebacker Ryan Liszka stripped the ball from Moran and McEachern recovered the fumble for a defensive touchdown and a 9-0 lead.
"I was telling our offensive coaches that our defense is going to outscore us tonight when we were up 9-0 early," Benet coach Pat New joked about a group that may eventually compare favorably with Benet's dominant defense that led the school to the Class 7A semifinals in 2012. "Our defense did a tremendous job. They were very stout against the run and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback and their passing game."
Benet limited O'Fallon to 63 first-half yards and 2 first downs, which gave its offense time to begin clicking in the second and third quarters. Dosen broke loose for a 35-yard run, and quarterback Jack Sznajder rumbled for 44 yards on the next play from scrimmage to push Benet in front 16-0. After trading field goals to end the half, the Redwings busted the game open in the third quarter behind a 1-yard TD run from Charlie Weidenbach for a 27-3 edge. Dosen crossed the goal line on a 1-yard run for a 34-3 lead, and backup quarterback Mike Dunn's 64-yard touchdown pass to wideout C.J. Birck with 7 minutes remaining closed out the scoring.
O'Fallon's young offense, which features a sophomore quarterback and four other sophomore starters, was particularly plagued by turnovers, committing three fumbles and an interception. "Any time you lose the turnover battle against a good team is tough to overcome," Panthers coach Brandon Joggerst said.
The Panthers will try to rebound when they tackle Belleville West in their Southwestern Conference opener on Sept. 11. The game marks the team's third consecutive road game to start the season, including its back-to-back visits to West suburban schools. O'Fallon lost 41-14 to Hinsdale Central Aug. 28.
"This is the first time we've started with (three away games)," Joggerst said, "and it's hopefully the last time."