Blackhawks can't slow WW South

AURORA - West Aurora coach Buck Drach said it all about the Blackhawks' homecoming matchup against defending DuPage Valley Conference champion and undefeated Wheaton Warrenville South Friday night.

"You have to play flawless ball to beat them," Drach said after the Blackhawks fell 41-7.

The Blackhawks (3-3 overall, 1-3 DVC) controlled the clock in the opening quarter and forced a punt on the Tigers' first possession, but the visitors cracked the goal line on three straight drives in the second quarter.

Answering with a touchdown before the intermission, West Aurora trailed 21-7 at halftime; but the Tigers (6-0, 4-0) quickly seized control. Kevin Coleman returned the second-half kickoff 72 yards, setting up a Peter Jarrett touchdown, and the Tigers added a score on their next series for a 34-7 advantage with 5:11 remaining in the third quarter.

Jarrett carried the ball 17 times for 153 yards, including 136 in the first half. Several Blackhawks met Jarrett near the line of scrimmage, but Jarrett always managed to shake loose.

"We knew he was a good runner and strong, but we didn't wrap up on the first hit and gang tackle like we were supposed to," West linebacker Garrett Rivers said.

"(Jarrett's) a strong kid," Drach said. "They're a strong football team. They rocked us pretty good. No question about it."

The Blackhawks marched 74 yards on the opening drive of the game, but it stalled at the Tigers' 24 when quarterback John Nunnally (14-of-26, 171 yards) was dropped for a loss on fourth down. West forced a punt that was fumbled by the Tigers and recovered by Josh Zinzer, but that possession was snuffed when Nunnally was intercepted near midfield.

Patrick Dansdill returned the pick to the Blackhawks' 11, and three plays later Joe Furco hit Daniel Hohenstein in the back of the end zone. Nick Immekus added the first of his five extra points and the Tigers led 7-0 at the 11:51 mark of the second quarter. With a burst of speed, Jarrett notched a 28-yard touchdown, and the Tigers' next possession Jarrett capped a 59-yard drive with a 4-yard run.

The Blackhawks traversed 82 yards on the ensuing possession. Nunnally connected with Aviance King (four catches for 98 yards) for a 25-yard gain on a reverse flea flicker and then hit Marcus Cocroft on a crossing pattern for a 24-yard score with 1:09 to play in the first half.

"Some of our drives just ended badly, and things just went bad at times," Rivers said. "We need to string together more drives and finish them."

The Blackhawks' first possession of the second half resulted in a fumble when Rivers was hit the instant he caught a pass, and the Tigers capitalized. Mike Olp went over the top from a yard out after Wheaton Warrenville South took control at the Blackhawks' 25.

West visits defending Class 8A state champion and unbeaten Naperville North next week.