Metering is ON

Belleville East shocks top-seeded Waubonsie

Story Image Waubonsie Valley quarterback Dylan Warden tries to get away from the Belleville East defense during their game in Aurora on Friday night. The Warriors lost 14-7. | Brian Powers~Sun-Times Media
Story Image

Updated: October 28, 2011 11:52PM



Time and again, Chase Allen and ReShawn Bean crashed into the front seven of the Waubonsie Valley Warriors defense Friday night. As the front swelled to as many as 10, the pair continued to drive themselves into it.

And time and again the two Belleville East seniors found daylight at key moments and led the 16th-seeded Lancers to a stunning 14-7 upset over No. 1 Waubonsie Valley on Friday night in Aurora.

Allen and Bean combined to carry the ball 51 times for 314 yards and the only two scores of the night for Belleville East (6-4), and it was enough to keep the Warriors offense off the field.

“We prepared for the Wildcat but we underestimated (Allen’s) running ability,” Waubonsie Valley linebacker Austin Lacke said. “He’s a real good runner. He ran hard.”

Belleville East unveiled the package briefly last week, but went to it almost exclusively.

Even though Waubonsie took a 7-0 lead into halftime on the strength of a 1-yard Austin Guido (62 yards) run, Belleville East possessed the ball for nearly 17 minutes. But, a fumble by Allen stalled a drive in Warriors territory in the first quarter while Bean (38 rushes, 245 yards) fumbled twice in the red zone to stall drives.

“I just had to forget about the fumbles and keep focused, not worry about my mistakes and keep on going,” said Bean, who rushed for 131 yards in the second half.

Bean found the end zone on a 63-yard run in the third quarter after bouncing off a plugged hole and taking it to the sideline. Allen (69 yards) then ran in the eventual game winner early in the fourth from 7 yards out.

Waubonsie Valley had just three possessions in the second half and only one in the fourth quarter, which ended when QB Dylan Warden’s 4th-and-goal pass attempt to Dee Gray from the 22-yard line fell short and out of bounds.

That came with 6 minutes and 58 seconds left in the game, but the Warriors never saw the ball again.

“They out-executed us,” Warriors coach Paul Murphy said. “They kept the ball away from our offense and they did something to our defense that hasn’t been done since the Bartlett (loss in Week 3).

“We just weren’t sharp for some reason. That’s teenagers for you. It’s unpredictable.”

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