Football: Neuqua looking for bounce-back year in 2012

Sitting at 5-1 overall and at 3-0 in the Upstate Eight Valley race heading into the annual meeting with Waubonsie Valley on Oct. 7, all of Neuqua Valley’s goals coming into the year remained at hand.

Four weeks later, Neuqua Valley finished up the year at 5-5 for the first time in program history after Bolingbrook came away with a 33-14 Class 8A first-round victory last Friday.

After such a strong start to the season, losing four straight to end the season, representing the program’s longest losing streak since dropping its last six games in 2001, leaves a lot of questions as to why things all of a sudden took a dark turn for the Wildcats.

“I think a lot of it was we just didn’t make some plays in some critical situations,” Neuqua Valley coach Bryan Wells said. “We played so well against Waubonsie. Protected the ball, but yet, still didn’t seal the deal there and didn’t protect the lead there. Against Bartlett, we allowed things to get out of hand there pretty quick or too quick. And against Lake Park, largely the same thing. Lake Park really comes down to us having a field goal blocked for a touchdown.

“I think that’s a mistake that’s uncharacteristic of us, but yet we made it. Those types of mistakes will beat you. I can point to every one of those games, especially the Waubonsie and Lake Park game. You can probably pick out two plays (and) had those turned different, (maybe the season is different). Even if we kick that field goal (against Lake Park) and miss it, it’s not the swing of points that it was.”

Dropping two of those four games in overtime certainly adds to the sting that seeing the year end on such a sour note brings, none more than the sting the loss to Waubonsie Valley brought.

Seeing their late 21-14 fourth-quarter lead erased by the heroics of Waubonsie Valley junior quarterback Dylan Warden, who went on to score the game-winner in overtime and hand Neuqua Valley a 27-21 loss, perhaps shook the Wildcats a little bit.

“I think that’s a fair question, but I really don’t know how to answer that at this point because I don’t … I really don’t know because if you were to come out to our field and watch us practice day in and day out, I don’t think anybody would sense that there was any change,” Wells said. “Was our confidence a little bit different? Maybe. Maybe we weren’t quite as confident as what we were going into that game. I know that plays a big role. Had we beat Waubonsie in that situation and got out of that game with a victory, maybe our confidence is much different. Maybe going to Lake Park it’s different.”

Looking ahead to 2012, Neuqua Valley will welcome back both men of its backfield — juniors Joey Rhattigan and Danny Dudek, the biggest reasons to be optimistic for a bounce-back year.

Heading into the playoff game at Bolingbrook, Rhattigan had run roughshod over opposing defenses to the tune of 1,203 yards and 19 TDs while Dudek chipped in with 743 yards and five touchdowns.

Couple that duo with three returning offensive linemen and similar youth on defense and Wells has definite reasons to feel good about what next year may bring.

“We have a lot coming back with experience,” he said. “That’s a little bit different from where we were this year, with a lot of guys stepping on the field who had varsity experience but not necessarily with the Friday night game experience. We’re gonna have a number of kids who have varsity game experience coming back.”

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