Falcons make their presence known
Team sends No. 2 seed home early
Wheaton North showed Oct. 31 how playoff seeds can quickly become meaningless.
The Falcons (6-4) traveled to No. 2 Rockford Boylan as a 15th seed in Class 7A.
HERB SHENKIN / FOR THE SUN
North quarterback Reece Butler threw for 129 yards and two touchdowns as the Falcons upset the previously undefeated Titans, 17-13.
North stays on the road in the second round with a Nov. 7, 7 p.m. game at No. 10 Prospect.
Butler's 25-yard touchdown pass to Richard Finley (five catches, 67 yards) gave the Falcons the 17-13 lead with 7:48 to play in the fourth.
"That touchdown catch that I made really gave us momentum," Finley said. ''We knew coming in that we had played tougher competition and that if we played well we could advance."
Butler (10-of-16) also completed a 24-yard scoring toss to Shaniel Katariwala.
North took the lead on a 37-yard field goal from Steve Jones with 8:50 to play in the second quarter.
Steve Thomas had two rushing touchdowns as Boylan grabbed a 13-10 lead.
The Falcons' defense stopped Boylan on fourth-and-1 at the North 29 just over eight minutes remaining. Two plays later, Butler found Finley to give the Falcons the lead.
North's defense stopped Boylan two more times on fourth down, including on the final play of the game after Boylan had drove to the Falcons' 21.
"The defense really stood up in the fourth quarter at the end to seal the win," Finley said.
