No postseason bid yet for Wolves

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OSWEGO -- The situation became clear for Mark Green and his Oswego East Wolves -- win next week at rival Oswego, or miss their first shot at the postseason party.

That's because Plainfield South, with nothing to play for except pride and a sense of accomplishment, never trailed and played a nearly flawless game, stunning the Wolves 21-19.

With the defeat, Oswego East fell to 4-4 overall and 3-3 in the Southwest Prairie Conference and must overcome a Panther squad that is hitting its stride after a pair of early losses. After doing the playoff math, Green is confident his team will have enough points to qualify for the playoffs with a triumph, but his main concern is preparing for the Panthers.

"We don't have to skirt around (the playoff scenario) any more -- if we beat Oswego, we're in the state playoffs," said Green. "They're a very good football team, but there would be nothing better than going three miles down the road and beating the Oswego Panthers on their home field. It will be a big game for the community."

After a scoreless first half in which neither team reached the red zone and both teams played close to the vest, Plainfield South broke through in a 7:14 stretch beginning the third quarter that would prove decisive.

On the first big offensive play of the game, fullback Nicholas Thorpe broke free on a simple dive play and lumbered 38 yards to the East 7. On the following play, tailback Rakeem Jones scored on an inside run for a 6-0 Cougar lead.

Oswego East moved the ball to the Cougar 30 on the next possession. But, after the drive stalled, Jones took over. On his third run, Jones took a pitch left, found a seam, and sprinted 66 yards for paydirt. Jeffrey Kohl's two-point pass to Todd Franklin made it 14-0.

The Wolves closed to within 14-6 moments later when Steven Rivera scored standing up from five yards out. The short scoring drive had been set up by a 64-yard kickoff return by Jack Klein. But the extra point kick was blocked by Matthew Huyser, and that would become crucial later on.

Plainfield South (3-5 overall, 2-4 conference) responded again with a 12-play, 73-yard drive culminating on a 17-yard pass from Kohl to Luke Gunderson for a 21-6 cushion.

Back came the Wolves, who closed within 21-12 with 5:42 remaining on a 1-yard run by Rivera. But the two-point conversion failed, leaving the Wolves two scores short of the lead.

Oswego East got the ball back after a Cougar three-and-out and mounted a slow-motion 17-play, 61-yard drive that featured three 4th-down conversions. Brad Crackel finally hit Matt LaTurno on a 5-yard scoring strike with 1:14 remaining. But the comeback came to a halt after Gunderson fell on the ensuing onside kick for Plainfield South.

Jones proved to be the difference, running 19 times for 130 yards, 117 of which came in the second half.

"Jones is a good back. He's been injured off and on this year," noted Green. "Unfortunately, this is the week he came back, and we had a hard time tackling him."

Crackel led the Wolves with 54 yards rushing in eight carries from the option attack, and 72 yards passing. But Rivera was held to 41 yards on 20 carries, as the Cougars outrushed East 247-183 in the turnover-less game.

"Rivera's had some real good games, but they (the Cougars) took him away," said Green. "You have to give them credit for the defensive job they did against us."