Paul, St. Charles East pick off Waubonsie Valley

Intensity, especially on the defensive side of the ball, can carry a team a long way.

St. Charles East has maintained its firebrand intensity since practice began in early August, and it's paying off now,

Case in point was Friday's nonconference road game at Waubonsie Valley. The Saints got a pair of interceptions from junior McGreevy Paul, the second of which led to what ultimately was the game-winning touchdown, with 3:01 left in the second quarter.

That's right. St. Charles East held Waubonsie Valley scoreless in a defensively seesaw second half, including the final series of the game, where the Warriors took over with 2:09 to go and the ball on their own 20.

Defensive pressure from the line and a tight secondary prevented Waubonsie Valley from advancing any further than its own 35. From there, it was victory formation and a 2-0 record.

Now comes the fun part: The DuKane Conference schedule.

"Obviously, we care a lot about conference," Paul said. "Those are the teams we play every year. We've had that same intensity from the first day of summer, and we've tried to carry that intensity through. We're not trying to waver at all."

Senior linebacker Gavin Rabe was even more direct.

"We got one vote to win the conference," Rabe said. "That's not going to stand next week. We're going to show why we're going to win the DuKane Conference."

Waubonsie Valley stuck first in this one, on a 27-yard pass from junior quarterback Luke Elsea to fellow junior Brady Teeple on he first drive of the game. Elsea finished 11 for 16 for 121 yards and that touchdown.

With 8:47 left in the half, the Warriors marched to the Saints' 33 before Paul picked off Elsea. On the ensuing drive, St. Charles East went 82 yards in 12 plays, culminating in an 8-yard pass up the middle from senior quarterback Lane Robinson to senior Mason Tousignant that no one expected at the time would set the final score.

Senior running back Trenton Matejko paced the Saints with 134 yards rushing on 24 carries.

The Warriors also played intense, stout defense in the second half, holding St. Charles East to 121 total offensive yards.

"I was really pleased with our defensive kids," Waubonsie Valley coach Tom Baumgartner said. "They played great. That's all you can ask for, being down 3 at the half."