Narrow miss for Warriors

Waubonsie Valley kicker Scott Kuehn (5, on ground) and Eric Josupait (10, bent over) react after Kuehn misses a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter Saturday during playoff action at Benedictine University in Lisle. The field goal would have given the Warriors the lead over Downers Grove South with 28 seconds left in the game.

(Donnell Collins/For Sun-Times Media)

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LISLE -- After failing to convert an extra point and a 2-point conversion after its first two touchdowns Saturday night, the Downers Grove South football team hoped the missed points would not come back to haunt them.

But after Waubonsie Valley rattled off 21 unanswered points to take a 21-12 lead at halftime, the Mustangs found themselves in need of two scores to retake the lead.

Downers Grove South found a way to grind out 10 more points in the second half and stood breathless as it saw a 40-yard field goal by the Warriors with 28 seconds remaining sail wide left. That allowed the Mustangs to squeak out a 22-21 win in a Class 8A first-round playoff game at Benedictine University.

"That was the best five bucks you could spend, coming to watch these kids play," Downers Grove South coach John Belskis said, referring to the cost of admission to IHSA playoff games. "We're excited about the win and getting to play Bolingbrook."

After six years of playoff struggles, Belskis said the Mustangs finally got the "monkey off our back."

It also took every bit of the pass-catch connection between quarterback Chandler Whitmer and receiver Jason Jozaites to seal the deal.

"It hit us at halftime," Whitmer said. "We didn't want the season to end. We didn't want to hand in our pads. So we came out and started hitting and started playing, and we came out with the win."

Jozaites caught nine passes for 149 yards and two first-half touchdowns for the Mustangs (8-2), while Whitmer (14-of-22, 169 yards) found Don Miller for another touchdown with just 4:23 left in the game.

The loss for Waubonsie (6-4) means the end of the season for a senior-laden squad, but none could take it harder than kicker Scott Kuehn.

"We have nothing to be disappointed about," Warriors coach Paul Murphy said. "These kids fought back when they were down early. We fought back on the last drive and were in a position to win. These kids are amateur athletes and these things happen, but it's nothing to be ashamed about."

Waubonsie Valley senior quarterback Kenny Clay was 11-of-15 passing for 150 yards and two touchdowns, which went to Eric Josupait and Malcolm Buckner. Clay also threw an interception. Running back Maurice Bowman also scored a touchdown for the Warriors. Prep Football | Downers Grove South 22, Waubonsie valley 21