Lincoln-Way Central fends off Thornridge

Updated: September 3, 2011 12:45AM

It was a little no-huddle and a lot of Brett Ditchman for Lincoln-Way Central on Friday night as the Knights had enough ball control to offset some big plays from Thornridge to post a 41-20 victory over the Falcons in New Lenox.

Ditchman, the workhorse tailback making just his second career start in the backfield, carried the ball 41 times for 271 yards and three touchdowns. He left the game after scoring the Knights’ final points on a 28-yard run with 8:11 left in the fourth quarter.

“Our plan coming in tonight was to give them a heavy dose of Ditchman,” Central coach Brett Hefner said. “He’s a hard-nosed back and finds his holes. The strength of our team is the offensive line.”

Central’s defense put the first points on the board when Brian Wildman scooped up a fumble at the Thornridge 12-yard line and scampered into the end zone less than three minutes into the game. Ditchman added a pair of scores before the half and Kevin Ward caught a 34-yard TD pass from quarterback Cale Hayes.

Thornridge scored its three touchdowns on long plays. Terrence Thomas had two of them, one an 85-yard kickoff return in the second quarter and the other a 69-yard burst up the middle in the third. Devonte Stewart got the Falcons on the board in the second quarter with a 48-yard run.FOOT

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