North Stars shoot past South Elgin

After getting a win against South Elgin, St. Charles North team members raise their helmets in celebration.

(Andrew A. Nelles/For the Courier News)

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Quarterback Jake Bergren’s 49-yard touchdown pass to Josh Mikes in the waning seconds of the first half was all St. Charles North needed to put away host South Elgin in a 28-16 first-round Class 7A playoff game Saturday afternoon in Streamwood.

St. Charles North (7-3) advanced to play Elk Grove in the second round.

The 49-yard touchdown pass with a second to play in the second quarter put the North stars ahead 14-7. They never trailed.

“That out and up for the touchdown gave us a lot of confidence, that was it,” North Stars coach Mark Gould said.

Bergren also scored a 66-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter, giving St. Charles a 28-10 lead.

“I knew [the line] was going to be there and I saw it wide open and I just went for it,” Bergren said. “The majority of our runs are to our running backs, but some other things you might have to chalk up to straight-up luck.”

North Stars running back Jordan Huxtable left the game early in the first quarter with a knee injury.

Domico Failla put South Elgin up 7-0 on an 18-yard touchdown reception from quarterback John Menken to open the game.

But St. Charles North answered when Justin Miller returned the kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, tying the score at seven.

South Elgin (7-3) cut the North Stars’ lead to 14-10 on David Reisner’s 28-yard field goal. But the North Stars countered and took a 21-10 lead with 1:49 to play in the third quarter on Schmitt’s three-yard scoring run.

Brad Birchfield scored the Storm’s final touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.