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Waubonsie Valley rolls past East Aurora

Max Ihry's big runs helped Waubonsie Valley win with ease against East Aurora on Friday night in Aurora.

Granted, it took a few surprises by the Tomcats to produce a 49-6 final for the second straight year and the fourth consecutive football season the Warriors chalked up 49 points. In this instance Waubonsie (5-2) cemented a playoff berth for a ninth straight time and the 10th within 11 years for IHSFCA Hall of Fame coach Paul Murphy.

"It's another night to me as long as we took care of business," Ihry said after compiling 162 yards on 11 carries - his fourth 100-plus rushing effort. "As usual, I owe a big thanks to the O-line for my getting some big runs. Now we need to continue to make things happen, hopefully even get a potential home playoff game."

The victory means Waubonsie is 16-0 against their former Upstate Eight Conference foe, which served as the Warriors' lone nonconference game for this year. Now the aim shifts to improving a 4-2 DuPage Valley ledger in road games at Naperville North and Wheaton North.

"We took control early, executed well, got the win we needed without any major injuries; I'd say we took care of everything we needed to," Murphy said.

That made it easier to overlook the late-game efforts by East Aurora (1-6), which gave the Tomcats faithful a mix of fun, celebration and hope.

Waubonsie's Eric Gullberg sprang for a 53-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter. The running clock had begun after quarterback Jack Connolly scampered for a third rushing TD to start the second half.

However the Tomcats' Mark Zuniga returned the kickoff 58 yards and then Maurice Bryant continued a series of bull-dozing runs as part of his 78 yards on 10 carries. The last was a 10-yard run for the TD. While the 2-point rush attempt failed, East Aurora tried an onside kick and recovered a Warriors fumble.

"We're blessed to have Maurice transfer from Pittsburgh," Tomcats coach Kurt Becker said. "He's just a tremendous kid who loves to play football and showed it."

Unfortunately Bryant's late bull rushes couldn't erase the first-half mistakes that included Tomcats starter Andre Pearson and back-up Nicholas Hoecker having their four combined passes all interepted.

Waubonsie's Connor Yukna made the first of two opening-half picks to give the Warriors the ball after 39 seconds. After no gain, Ihry broke off a 20-yard run and then followed with a 45-yard touchdown.

Penalties on Waubonsie enabled the Tomcats to get to the Warriors 39, but Kyle Schroeder picked off an Andre Pearson pitch. Four plays later, Connolly carried in from four yards for a 14-0 lead. The Waubonsie senior quarterback went 7 yards to the right on the next possession for a 21-0 lead to start the second quarter.

Yet another defensive stand got the ball back and Ihry carried for 57 yards before Josh LeMoine covered the last two yards for a 28-0 lead with 7:10 after Lee Bell once again kicked the extra point.

Yukna's second interception set the stage for another Waubonsie drive that culminated with a Charles Robinson 15-yard touchdown reception from Connolly to account for the 35-0 halftime score.

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