Naperville Central topples West Chicago

Updated: October 22, 2011 12:26AM

Twenty seconds into Friday night’s regular-season finale against West Chicago, Naperville Central promptly served notice to the Wildcats that it wasn’t going to be their night.

A 56-yard touchdown run from Redhawks senior running back Matt Randolph on the game’s first play from scrimmage foreshadowed the night to come as Naperville Central made quick work of West Chicago with a 42-7 rout in Naperville.

Coming off a 253-yard, five-touchdown performance the week before in the Redhawks’ come-from-behind, 36-26 victory over crosstown rival Naperville North, Randolph ran the ball only nine times on Friday but scored on five of those touches en route to gaining 136 yards.

“It’s all about this offense and our offensive line,” said Randolph, who has scored five rushing touchdowns in a game three times this season. “(The offensive line has) done a great job (and) the receivers and tight ends (blocking). They’ve all done a great job.”

In jumping out to a 35-0 halftime lead over the Wildcats, the Redhawks scored on four of their five first drives, with all four possessions being capped by Randolph touchdown runs.

After being limited to a combined 191 yards and no rushing touchdowns against the likes of Wheaton Warrenville South, Glenbard North and Wheaton North, Randolph has exploded in the last two weeks by rushing for a combined 389 yards and 10 touchdowns in the Redhawks’ last two games.

On the year, he has 1,151 yards and 17 touchdowns on 159 carries.

In large part to eight different people combining for 207 rushing yards, Naperville Central (6-3, 5-2 DuPage Valley) gained 296 total yards on offense Friday night, a week after gashing Naperville North’s defense for 352 total yards, with 302 of those coming on the ground.

“This is definitely huge momentum for us going into the playoffs,” Randolph said of the offense’s performance in each of the last two weeks. “We’re excited to see who we play.”

While Randolph was busy doing his thing for a second straight week, the Redhawks defense continued its strong play by pitching in with a score.

Limiting the Wildcats’ offense to just 147 total yards, junior defensive end Cody Campbell recovered a fumble by Wildcats senior running back Brian Baids and returned it 21 yards for a touchdown to give the Redhawks a 21-0 lead with 7:43 left to go in the first.

Randolph’s final touchdown of the night, a 43-yarder early in the third, instituted a running clock and allowed the Redhawks defense to focus on trying to post its first shutout of the year.

A 2-yard touchdown run by junior running back Miguel Flores for West Chicago (1-8, 1-7) early in the fourth dashed those hopes, but the defense still took pride in its final performance heading into the postseason.

“It’s OK (losing the shutout),” Campbell said. “We got the victory. I’m sure we’re gonna have to run for it on Monday, but we still got the victory.”

Permitting an average of 14.3 points a game, Naperville Central defensive coordinator Mike Ulreich’s charges have held six of its nine opponents to no more than 14 points.

“Defense has been very strong (all year). The offense is definitely kicking it in now,” Campbell said. “Just in time for the playoffs, too. That’s perfect.”

Officially in the 32-team Class 8A field after missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2002 a year ago, Naperville Central can now turn its attention to where its 6-3 record might put it within the Class 8A bracket, which will be released Saturday night.

The last two times the Redhawks finished a regular season 6-3, they garnered a No. 7 seed and a No. 11 seed in 2006 and 2008, respectively.

“Now the real season begins. As I told these seniors, we challenged them last November (with) how do they want to be remembered,” Naperville Central coach Mike Stine said. “(Did they want to be) remembered as the only senior class to not make the playoffs (in its two varsity seasons)? We’ve done chapter one. Chapter one: we’re in the playoffs. Now our goal is to go make a run at the state title.”

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