FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS: Trojans advance to 7A quarterfinals with shutout win

Downers Grove North’s hard-hitting defense and Proviso East’s horrible mistakes on special teams were the deciding factors as the Trojans (7-4) continued their surprising postseason run with a 16-0 win Friday in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs.

The Trojans' fourth win in a row earned a spot in next weekend's quarterfinals against either Glenbard West or Fenwick.

While the Trojans’ offense endured three turnovers on fumbles in the first half, Proviso East (8-3) offset those mistakes with a string of punting team collapses.

The first came when a snap sailed over the punters’ head and was recovered at the 10 yard-line. Downers North’s Jermal Jones’ touchdown run on the next play put the Trojans up for good 7-0 with 11:41 left in the first half.

Downers North’s lead grew in the fourth quarter, again thanks to an errant Pirates’ punt snap that went into the end zone for a safety and a 9-0 lead with 7:39 left.

The Trojans followed with a comparatively long nine-play, 32-yard march that quarterback Dan Sheppard capped with a five-yard touchdown run at the 2:25 mark.

Besides punt snaps, Downers Grove North’s punishing defense and its pressure on Proviso East quarterback William Crowder decided the game. The Pirates’ best scoring chance came on a 40-yard pass to the Trojans’ 25-yard-line, but consecutive quarterback sacks of 13 and nine yards crushed that threat.

Those two defensive plays began an avalanche, as Proviso East’s last 11 snaps of the game resulted in an incredible minus-67 yards  and a game-clinching interception by Downers North’s Pat Daly with 1:23 left. Dan Sheppard and Ryan Mussatto each recorded two quarterback sacks.

“I’m so proud of our defense,” Downers North coach John Wander said. “We knew going in we had to prevent big plays, and except for the one play (the 40-yard pass) they did that. I think we set the game football back 50 years on offense (seldom passing the ball), but we controlled the clock.”