Defense powers Evanston to win

Updated: October 22, 2011 12:08AM

Evanston recovered four fumbles and blocked two punts and its senior receiver Victor Bordo had a big day as the Wildkits became playoff eligible with a 34-0 win over Niles West on Friday in Skokie.

The Wildkits (5-4, 2-3) recorded their second shutout of the season, and head coach Mike Burzawa believes his team will hear its name called when Class 8A playoff pairings are announced on Saturday.

“We feel good about our schedule and, we had 40 (playoff points) going in, so we feel pretty confident (about making a second straight postseason trip),” Burzawa said.

The coach continued: “Our defense played well (against Niles West). It’s been carrying us most of the year. The turnovers were the difference. Defensive scores and turnovers, that really set the tone. Offensively, we still have a long way to go.”

The biggest defensive play of the game came late in third quarter when Evanston senior Ray Bahr sacked Niles West quarterback Ben Assioua, who fumbled. Wildkits senior linebacker Leonard Garron scooped up the ball and raced 50 yards for a touchdown, giving his team a 21-0 advantage.

In the second quarter, Bahr picked up a fumble and ran 50 yards, though he was tackled inside the NW 20. But the play led to Evanston’s second touchdown.

Evanston senior defensive lineman Delon Hunt had a fumble recovery and the Wildkits also recovered a fumble on a kickoff in the fourth quarter.

On the other side of the ball, Bordo caught a 25-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and added a 37-yarder and 11-yarder in the fourth. The first two were thrown by Evanston starting quarterback Max Block, a senior, the third by backup Marcus Hampton, a junior.

Block also connected with Bahr for a five-yard touchdown.

Niles West (2-7, 0-5) was once again decent defensively, but unable to get much going on offense.

The team did give backup quarterback Ben Assioua some snaps throughout the game, and the senior responded by completing passes of 39 and 26 yards to junior receiver Jeremiah Jordan.

Jordan has been one of the area’s biggest threats on special teams. But Evanston kicked away from him much of the night, and contained him when he got the ball on kick and punt returns.

Defensively, juniors James Williams, a linebacker, and Vaughn Monreal-Burner, a lineman, were the standouts for the Wolves.

“Our defense has been fun to watch,” Niles West head coach Scott Baum said. “We play in a good conference and we get beat up a little bit. But they play with some enthusiasm and fire that we knew we had. We have some kids who can hit, and they like to run around, and they did that tonight.”

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