Following a North star
JOLIET -- In the huddle, eleven voices sounded off as one.
The Plainfield North cry was for a momentum-changing play.
photos by john patsch/staff photographer
Faced with a fourth-and-3 on its own 13, North sent out its punt team looking to turn field position around in the first quarter of the Tigers' 24-0 high school football victory over district rival Plainfield South on Friday night.
Tyler Baran's kick was muffed by South's Chris Brown near midfield. North's Dominique Ware fielded the ball on a hop and raced 52 yards for an apparent touchdown.
While officials wiped out the TD, the Tigers had accomplished their goal. Even though Ware was not allowed to advance the muffed punt, his recovery stood.
North took possession on its own 47, and 12 players later Jake Arnold snapped a scoreless deadlock on a 2-yard run. He later added touchdown runs of 87 and 5 yards in a record-setting performance that enabled the Tigers to keep their postseason hopes alive.
Arnold went on to rush for a North single-game record of 221 yards on 24 carries. The total is the seventh-highest in the history of the Plainfield school district.
The Tigers (3-4, 2-3) also notched their first varsity football shutout and equaled the highest winning margin in the two-year history of their program -- 24 points. North beat Romeoville 37-13 on Sept. 7.
And it all started with the sound off. And with Ware's Johnny-on-the-spot recovery.
"We called 'momentum' after the break of the huddle," Ware said. "So, we were looking for a big play. We wanted to get a strip or to pin them deep. (Brown) was sitting there. I was waiting for the fair catch. He didn't call it. And the ball bounced right into my hands.
"They took the score away, yeah. But we came back and used that as momentum."
Ware later added an interception as North's defense forced three turnovers and rushed South quarterback Jeff Kohl into an 18-of-42 passing performance for 140 yards. He threw two interceptions and was sacked or tackled for losses six times for minus 35 yards.
Andrew Starks came up with North's second pick in the third quarter. Tim Eulitz booted a 33-yard field goal in the fourth.
"Like I said last week, we had to get over the hump," Arnold said. "And this week we finally pushed through. And we pushed that rock up over the hill and got over the hump. We did it as a team effort tonight, baby."
Arnold took part in the team effort in a number of ways besides running the ball. He went in to play cornerback and was assigned the duty of guarding South's Rakeem Jones on a handful of passing plays.
"Aww, the defense, we were on their (fannies) all week," Arnold said. "And like coach said (assistant Tony Holler), the tackling, we've been practicing tackling since August. And it finally paid off tonight. We had some big hits and some big stops that came through for the team."
North's Bryce Corrigan completed 8-of-11 passes for 61 yards. Starks was 2-for-2 in a relief role behind him for 7 yards. The Tigers finished with a 303-195 edge in total offense.
South (2-5, 1-4) twice moved inside North's 35 in the first quarter but was turned away on a sack and a pass incompletion. The Cougars had troubled mounting a consistent running game without their two top backs, Jones and Tony Sanchez. Both played -- but were not themselves.
Jones was limited to running pass routes. He made three catches for 27 yards. Sanchez threw his weight around only on defense. He was a force on the South line until he limped off in the fourth quarter with another injury.
"The muffed punt -- it was a big play," South coach Mike Briscoe said. "They picked it up and scored, but you can't advance the kick. But we need to make that play. Our defense was playing well at that time. And it was a heart-breaker.
"Now, they get the ball on about the 40-yard line, and you saw what happened. We got down there three or four times and came out with no points. And we just can't be out there all night on defense. Sooner or later, that running back -- 30 -- he'll make some plays. Arnold, yeah.
"We had him stuffed in the backfield. We closed on the outside edge defensively, and the next thing you know he bounced out of there. He's just got the pull-away speed that we don't have. He's a good football player."
Arnold placed ninth in the 400 meters at the Class AA state track and field meet last spring.
"It was such a great deal for him," North coach Tim Kane said. "He's such a hard worker. He's come so far. He's just an absolute workhorse. But, to see how much he's improved throughout the year, and to see him have that type of night, we've been waiting for that. And I think people see what type of player he is. Not only is he fast, but he runs pretty hard, too."
