High stakes game: HHS hosts rival Jacobs

HUNTLEY – If the Huntley and Jacobs football game Sept. 23 was an old western movie, it would be played at “high noon.”

The clash will be a neighborhood tussle when Huntley hosts unbeaten Fox Valley Conference leader Jacobs at 7 p.m. Sept. 23 in Week 5 action.

Jacobs comes into the contest with a 4-0 league leading mark, one victory better than the Red Raiders’ 3-1. Both teams come in off wins, as the Golden Eagles outlasted Prairie Ridge, 42-39, while Huntley held off Burlington Central, 16-7.

“The players all know each other from playing youth football,” HHS coach Mike Naymola said. “They’re rivals on the field,  but off the field, they’re friends.”

HHS’s defense had the last word in the win Friday at Burlington Central. After HHS fumbled but the defense sealed the win. The offense achieved a six-point lead, a late-game fumble meant the defense had to make one more stop and it did.

One of the leaders of the “D” this season has been senior linebacker Dashaun Manning. He led the team with 31 total tackles for three game and added six more on Friday.

“Manning had an outstanding game,” Naymola said. “The defense did a nice job of eliminating their running game. Their quarterback (Jackson Alcorn) made some nice throws and it was hard for the secondary to play well for three or four seconds per play.”

Manning “has the ability to make up for others’ mistakes,” the head coach said.

Manning initially was expected to play in the secondary this season but was moved to inside linebacker.

“It happened over the summer,”  Manning said of the position change. “Each game we rely on each other. As a team we were all composed (in the final seconds) because we have faith in each other.” He added the defense has leaders who show that skill in ways other than vocally, such as at practice and in the classroom.

Justin Jacobsen with one sack and CJ Filipek (four tackles) also turned in solid efforts on defense against the Rockets, the head coach said.

HHS had the early lead on a 27-yard field goal by Mason Wojtas. The other first half score was a 17-yard throw from QB Sam Deligio to leading receiver Jacob Witt for a 10-0 halftime lead.

The lead expanded after a drive in the fourth quarter, with Janke finishing it off from four yards out. Janke, a junior, ended with 29 carries for 113 yards, 4.6 yards per carry.

Naymola explained at practice the next day the key play was a 17-yard screen pass from Deligio to Josh Witt. Deligio was 11 for 20 passing for 113 yards. HHS totaled 292 yards, to BC’s (1-2) 211.

“I think our passing game is coming along,” Naymola said.

Deligio completed 52 percent of his passes and topped 100 yards. Josh Witt snared one for 17 yards and Janke had a 21-yard catch. HHS was again strong on third down conversions, 7 of 17.

Naymola said the Red Raiders were more than ready after a 35-7 loss at Prairie Ridge the week before.

“We had a great week of practice,” the coach said. “The theme was more about the team than about myself.”