Lincoln-Way North falls to Danville

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:08PM

FRANKFORT -Explosive.

That was the word for the Danville offense as it used numerous big plays to jump out to a big lead and cruise to a 40-21 win over Lincoln-Way North Saturday night in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Danville (11-0) moves on and will host Crete-Monee, a 29-25 winner over Rock Island on Friday, in the quarterfinals. The Phoenix, who gained their first ever playoff win last week with a 45-23 victory over Normal Community, end the season at 8-3.

"We were hoping we would hang with them at the beginning and they wouldn't get those explosive plays," North coach George Czart said. "But they did."

Junior quarterback Dennis Hightower was the catalyst for the Vikings as he ran for three touchdowns and passed for a pair. He set the tone right away by breaking out of the pack and racing down the right sideline for a 69-yard touchdown run with 8:36 left in the first quarter.

The Vikings added first quarter scores on a four-yard run by senior running back Edward Clark and five-yard burst by Hightower gave them an 18-0 lead with 1:48 left in the opening quarter.

Hightower found senior Justin March with a 69-yard TD pass to extend the lead to 26-0 midway through the second quarter.

The Phoenix got on the board on a four-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Irace to fellow senior Troy Miroslaw to get North on the board with 1:59 to play in the first half.

On the extra point, long snapper Brian Wolfe was hit in the head and an unsportsmanlike penalty was called on Danville. The game was delayed for five minutes as Wolfe had to be taken to the hospital by ambulance.

He was later released from the hospital and is expected to be OK.

North then forced a fumble and had a chance to get back in the game, but Irace threw an interception at the seven. Instead of sitting on the ball, Hightower scampered 93 yards for a back-breaking touchdown with 14.5 seconds left in the first half. That put Danville ahead 34-7.

"We knew we had to stop the run first with (Hightower)," Czart said. "But we obviously didn't do that."

At halftime Hightower had 9 carries for 191 yards. after numerous losses in the second half, he finished with 21 carries-for-178 yards. After going 4-for-4 for 94 yards passing in the first half, he finished 7-of-11 for 126 yards.

North never quit in the second half though. Senior Colin Hannigan recovered a fumble in the end zone after a bad snap to cut the lead to 34-14 with 6;38 to play.

Hightower came back with a 10-yard TD pass to D'Lando Carter. A 45-yard touchdown pass from Irace to senior Nolan Gonciarczyk with 1:37 remaining completed the scoring.

Irace was 16-of-40 for 217 yards with the two touchdowns and two interceptions.

"These kids had no quit in them," Czart said. "They were tough minded and I'll miss them.

"Last year we took a step by getting into the playoffs. This year we won a playoff game and now got to host one. We'll build off this."

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