Prep football: Joliet West spoills Plainfield Central's homecoming

PLAINFIELD – When a team returns two interceptions for touchdowns, converts a fourth-and-long pass for another score and blocks a punt for a safety, all in just over one half, it’s a good bet that they’re in for a positive result.

And that’s just what unfolded for Joliet West when it played at Plainfield Central in that school’s traditional Saturday afternoon homecoming game.

West expanded on a 21-14 halftime lead by scoring the first two touchdowns of the third quarter, and that helped it claim a 41-28 Southwest Prairie Conference victory over the Wildcats for its third win in a row.

“We talk about the importance of coming after punts,” Tigers coach Bill Lech said. “But early in the first half, we had too many breakdowns, and it’s not like we don’t work on this stuff. These guys had a pretty good game plan, and we couldn’t run the ball. We just have to do a better job up front.

“When you look at our first four opponents, one of them is 7-0, and two of them are 6-1, but even in those games, we fought hard. Our kids continue to improve and get better, and that’s all that we ask of them. We host Minooka on Friday in our senior night, so we just have to keep getting better.”

The Wildcats (1-6, 1-6 SPC) took a 7-0 lead only 4:20 into the game when James Buck threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Gockman. But the Tigers (3-4, 3-4) responded 3:22 later when Alfonso Sanchez (12-19, 182) connected with Kevon Dorris (4-102 receiving) for a 19-yard score on a fourth-and-long to pull them to within 7-6.

West moved in front at 8-7 with two minutes left in the first quarter when Nathan Godar blocked a punt that went for a safety. After going up, 15-7, following a 3-yard run by running back Trent Howland (22-55 rushing), the Tigers got a 42-yard interception for a score from Kinsyn Shelby to take a 21-7 lead.

Central answered with a 71-yard touchdown pass from Nicholas Barner (14-31, 240) to Tomas Scianna, which made it 21-14 with 6:04 left in the half.

“We’re clicking offensively and finding the open holes in the defense,” Sanchez said. “This is my first year of playing quarterback, so I’m progressing, and I feel like I’m doing better and better. We’re stepping forward in the right direction as a team. Offensively, we’re doing our job, communicating better and clicking with our receivers.”

West’s Tyler Barnette returned an interception 45 yards for a score only 1:53 into the second half, and the Tigers took a 35-14 lead with 7:14 left in that quarter when Howland ran in from 2 yards out. The Wildcats closed the gap to 35-21 with one second left in the third quarter when Barner threw a 14-yard scoring pass to Reese Lillie.

The Tigers went up, 41-21, with 7:02 left on a 33-yard strike from Sanchez to DJ Dobbs. Central scored 48 seconds later as Barner hit Brandon Shoemaker (5-91 receiving) on a 42-yard pass.

“It’s almost impossible to overcome some of those things,” Wildcats coach Jon Pereiro said. “We’re not a team that can give up a blocked punt for a safety or two interception returns. It put the game out of reach for us and changed our game plan too much, so we need to limit those mistakes.”