Luke Zook’s two picks, option pass for TD keys Yorkville’s shutout of Oswego

OSWEGO – Luke Zook has done a little bit of everything for Yorkville this season, so why not throw the football?

Teammate Ben Alvarez claims Zook was a quarterback in youth football.

“No, he’s BS’ing,” Zook said with a smile. “Backyard football, now we’re talking.”

[ Photos: Yorkville vs. Oswego ]

Zook, though, unveiled that skill Friday night.

The Yorkville junior safety intercepted two passes, both setting up scores. Zook topped it all off with a halfback pass to Colton Spychalski for the visiting Foxes’ final score in an impressive 17-0 win over Oswego in the Southwest Prairie West.

One play after Josh Gettemy, who also rushed for 116 yards on 22 carries, recovered a high Oswego snap, Zook tossed a 12-yard TD to a diving Spychalski in the back of the end zone for a 17-0 lead with 7:49 left in the third quarter.

It was Zook’s first pass attempt of the season, but one he prepared for at practice.

“We’ve been working at it in practice; before the game I got my arm loose,” Zook said. “It was after halftime, the score was 10-0, we thought we score we put the game away, get the momentum going.”

Yorkville (4-3, 2-1) is building quite a bit of momentum in the season’s stretch run.

The Foxes beat conference leader Minooka 17-13 last week – Zook had the big hit in the final minutes of that one – and followed it up by beating Oswego for the third straight season. It’s also the second consecutive year Yorkville shut out Oswego by a 17-0 score on its home field.

“Our season definitely started last week,” Zook said. “We have a young team, we weren’t playing together the first half of the season. Last week was the first week the offense and defense played very well. This week we played two halves and wins like this are what happen when you do.”

Zook’s first interception Friday came on Oswego’s first series of the second quarter. Three plays later, Yorkville QB Michael Dopart connected with a wide-open Dom Coronado for a 32-yard TD on a deep post for a 7-0 lead.

Zook picked off a high pass across the middle on Oswego’s next possession, setting up Dom Recchia’s 23-yard field goal to make it 10-0 where it remained into halftime. Zook, adding running back to his duties this season, had a key run for a first down to keep that drive alive.

“He’s a huge player for us,” Yorkville coach Dan McGuire said. “He’s one of those kids that we rely on to make game-breaking plays. We didn’t have an opportunity for him to make those plays earlier in the season. He was able to do that tonight. He is one of those kids that steps up in the big moment. He has a linebacker physicality with a DB’s speed.”

Indeed, Zook is the unique defensive hybrid that can lay the big hit when he’s nearer the line of scrimmage, or can make the big play in space like he did Friday.

“Wherever they need me,” Zook said. “If it’s to roll down I can get in the box if they need an extra linebacker. If it’s a pass formation, I’ll get back to safety.”

With big-play receiver Jeremiah Cain one of four starters out with injuries, Oswego (5-2, 1-2) struggled to sustain anything offensively.

The Panthers totaled 136 yards, just 69 rushing on 32 carries. And Oswego’s three turnovers all led to Yorkville points while the Panthers’ defense that was missing standout defensive end Taiden Thomas didn’t force any. Oswego QB Brett Connolly was 10-for-23 for 67 yards.

“Hard to win like that,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said. “Typically the team that wins the turnover battle is going to come out on top. We just didn’t come out ready. Dan and his crew had a great game plan. The better team won. They’re physical, always well-coached and extremely scrappy. That’s the type of game we like to play. We didn’t respond to that tonight.”

McGuire and Zook both acknowledged Oswego’s injuries that impacted things, but the Foxes’ coach liked how his kids fought through. Dopart threw for 66 yards for the Foxes, all in the first half.

“I still think we have work to do but any time you can beat Oswego on their field it’s a big deal,” McGuire said. “Any time you can play physical with a physical team like that it’s a big deal.”