North lets 'W' slip away

PLAINFIELD -- Lions and Tigers both felt the effects of the jungle-like rain tropical storm Gustav provided a day earlier. In this case the Lions of St. Viator High School emerged victorious over Plainfield North 19-17 in a game laced with slips, bobbles and fumbles on the slick field Friday.

St. Viator took advantage of two early North mistakes to grab a 13-0 first-quarter lead. However, two Jacob Arnold touchdown runs gave North a one-point advatage by halftime. St. Viator came back in the third. The game-winning touchdown came with 7:27 remaining in the quarter. The Lions' Nick Niro scampered in from 2 yards out. The conversion pass failed, but the Lions had pulled ahead for good 19-14.

Plainfield North had three drives that could have catapulted them into the lead. But all they could muster was a 31-yard field goal by Tim Eulitz with 9:55 remaining in the game. St. Viator ended the game with a 15-play drive that kept the ball out of North's hands, thwarting any chance of late Tigers' heroics.

St. Viator took advantage of two North fumbles to gain the 13-0 first-quarter lead. A fumble by North quarterback Bryce Corrigan set up an 11-play, 88-yard scoring drive for St. Viator. A 50-yard pass from Julian Sipiora to Kevin Husebosch gave the Lions a 7-0 lead.

Three plays later, North again turned the slippery ball over on a muffed snap to Corrigan. That set up the Lions' 31-yard scoring play from Sipiora to Jake Mastrangeli. That gave St. Viator its 13-0 lead.

North struck back in the second quarter to take a 14-13 halftime lead. On the first play of the second quarter, quarterback Andrew Starks connected with Alex Helriegel for a 61-yard gain to the St. Viator 5. Two plays later, Arnold pushed it in from 2 yards out to bring North back into the game 13-7.

With 1:42 remaining in the half, Arnold scored on another 2-yard run and Eulitz's conversion kick gave the Tigers a 14-13 lead.