Naperville North upsets WW South

Updated: September 17, 2011 12:57AM

In its recent run of success, Naperville North has been typified mostly by its stout defense and its stout running attack.

A potent, quick-strike offense could also be added to that list. Returning to the style of play that former quarterbacks Aaron Fanthorpe, Jordan Tassio and Matt LaCosse, Naperville North upset No. 17 Wheaton Warrenville South, 17-14, Friday night in Naperville.

Senior quarterback Tyler Gehr and senior running back Dan Puknaitis led the way in combining to rush 31 times for 232 yards and two touchdowns as the Huskies emerged victorious for only the second time in the last eight meetings with the Tigers.

“We haven’t had too many big plays this year and we cranked off two, which was the difference in the game,” said Gehr, who ran for 122 yards on 16 carries. “We were working on just exploding off the ball and big plays happened.”

The Huskies didn’t waste any time in their two first-half scoring drives.

Naperville North (2-2, 1-1 DuPage Valley) broke through first on the scoreboard 11:57 into the first quarter after Puknaitis busted through the middle of the Tigers’ defense for a 48-yard touchdown run.

Puknaitis’ score capped a five-play, 75-yard drive and the Huskies used a four-play, 78-yard scoring drive, highlighted by a 68-yard touchdown jaunt from Gehr to grab a 14-0 lead with just over eight minutes remaining in the first half.

The duo, which combined to go over 100 yards with a pair of scores last week’s loss at Wheaton North, combined for 191 yards and the two touchdown on 17 carries in the first half.

“The goal of the night was just keep driving and keep driving,” Puknaitis said. “Once you keep moving, the defense loosens up. It’s easy from there.”

Limited to 281 total yards, the Tigers turned the ball over five times and the Huskies did a nice job on Northwestern-bound running back Dan Vitale, who was held to 42 yards on 16 carries.

The Tigers cut into the deficit right before halftime after controlling the ball for 14 plays and traveling 68 yards, a drive that Armstrong finished with a 2-yard rushing score.

Intercepted twice, Armstrong threw for 192 yards and a late touchdown in the loss for Wheaton Warrenville South (1-3, 1-1 DuPage Valley), which lost in conference play for the first time since Naperville North beat it 7-6 in 2008, snapping a 15-game winning streak.

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