Woodstock North hits Harvard through the air in 48-3 victory

HARVARD – There was no great mystery who Woodstock North quarterback Landan Creighton was looking for on the final play of the half.

As Creighton rolled right from Harvard’s 4-yard line, his eyes were on the receiver they had been on most of the first half. Creighton tossed the ball toward Max Dennison in the end zone and let him do the rest.

Dennison leaped and came down with the pass for his second scoring catch in 51 seconds, and the Thunder rolled to a 48-3 victory Thursday night in a Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 Conference crossover game at Dan Horne Field.

“We’re tight,” Creighton said. “Max is a year younger, but he’s my main man, my go-to person to throw to.

“I saw he was open, and I tossed it up there. I knew he could get it. The first time we ran it, he was open, so I was looking for him. He kept getting open.”

The two hooked up five times in the first half for 34 yards and two scores. Creighton was 8 of 10 for 99 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. North (1-1) started the scoring on his 16-yard touchdown strike to Dillon Morrison.

“I like running more than passing,” said Creighton, who ran for 120 yards in the season opener against Johnsburg. “But when it comes to it, [the pass] was open because everyone expects us to run.”

Creighton hit Dennison with a 14-yard pass with 51 seconds to go in the half, then defensive lineman Shane Buening scooped up a fumble and returned it from Harvard’s 19 to the 4 with two seconds remaining.

Thunder coach Matt Polnow said Creighton had the option to run it in on the final play of the half.

“He does such a nice job seeing the field and he’s so athletic,” Polnow said. “He was able to dump it to Max. On certain plays our execution was great. We got some things to clean up.”

Dennison caught a touchdown pass in the season opener and has three for the season. He also returned a punt 70 yards for a score in the fourth quarter.

“We have that chemistry. When I look at [Creighton], he knows where to pass it,” Dennison said. “It’s just like that. I knew I was going to be open. I knew where to go to be open.

“I trust my QB, he knows if he puts in in there I’ll go for it.”

Harvard (0-2) scored after a high snap on a punt. North punter Hunter Menzel avoided a safety when he escaped the end zone and the Hornets tackled him on the 1. The defense made two negative plays and Harvard’s Danny Rosas kicked a 28-yard field goal.

Thunder running back Parker Halihan dashed 54 yards in the third quarter and running back George Kingos added a 9-yard scoring run.

It was the Thunder’s most lopsided win since a 61-9 victory in Week 3 of the 2019 season at Norwood, Ohio.

“It’s been years since we’ve been in a situation like that and been able to get all of our players onto the field,” Polnow said. “You hope it brings the team tighter and gives us confidence to battle with the big dogs.”

North’s defense limited the Hornets to 71 total yards and four first downs.

“We have to take care of the ball a little better,” Hornets coach Brad Swanson said. “We turned it over a few times. [Dennison] did a good job, he got loose on us a few times.

“It was a good, fun, physical game. We just have to clean up our mistakes.”

Woodstock North 48, Harvard 3

Woodstock N. 15 13 14 6 – 48

Harvard 0 3 0 0 – 3

First quarter

WN–Morrison 16 pass from Creighton (Creighton kick), 5:31.

WN–Combs 5 run (Creighton run), 1:21.

Second quarter

H–FG Rosas 28, 8:50.

WN–Dennison 14 pass from Creighton (Creighton kick), 0:55.

WN–Dennison 4 pass from Creighton (pass failed), 0:00.

Third quarter

WN–Halihan 54 run (kick blocked), 9:12.

WN–Kingos 9 run (Dennison run), 0:28.

Fourth quarter

WN–Dennison 70 punt return (kick blocked), 5:49.

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Woodstock North: Halihan 7-104, Kombs 13-45, Kingos 3-32, Randecker 5-14, Dennison 4-11, Creighton 6-10, Pintor 1-3, Pena 1-1, H. Menzel 1-0, Team 1-minus 23. Totals: 41-197. Harvard: Rosales 7-18, Cooke 10-5, Rosas 2-0, Deleon 3-minus 1. Totals: 22-22.

PASSING–Woodstock North: Creighton 9-15-0-124. Harvard: Cooke 9-17-1-49.

RECEIVING–Woodstock North: Dennison 5-34, P. Menzel 2-58, Morrison 1-16, Halihan 1-15. Harvard: Rosas 4-36, Hernandez-Williams 3-17, Nulle 1-minus 1, Mercado 1-minus 3.

TOTAL TEAM YARDS–Woodstock North 301, Harvard 79.