Ben Alvarez, Yorkville pick off Oswego East, become playoff eligible with third straight win

YORKVILLE – Ben Alvarez has grown up, and just plain grown, since he first arrived on the Yorkville varsity team as a sophomore linebacker two years ago.

The third-year starter and Harvard commit has grown into a leader of a stout Foxes’ defense. A 220-pound state wrestling champion last spring, he’s put on a few pounds. Alvarez lined up at defensive end for Friday’s game with Oswego East.

[ Photos: Yorkville vs. Oswego East ]

But that added girth hasn’t cost him his athletic ability.

Alvarez showcased it in the game’s key play, when he leaped to intercept a screen pass and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown in a 13-8 Yorkville win against Oswego East.

“I’ve put on a couple pounds but I like to think I still have some athletic ability,” Alvarez said.

Alvarez’s pick six was one of three turnovers forced by the Yorkville defense in a game played under a steady drizzle. It keyed a victory that made Yorkville playoff eligible and kept the Foxes alive for at least a share of the Southwest Prairie West championship.

Yorkville (5-3, 3-1), once 2-3, has won three consecutive games, and can thank in large part a defense that came seconds away from posting its second straight shutout. Dom Recchia recovered a fumble, Jack Ferguson had a critical fourth-quarter interception and the Foxes won despite being out-gained 163-144.

“We’re kind of on a roll,” Alvarez said. “We knew this back half of conference games would be harder games. Especially in these elements we’ve been able to stick together as a team.”

Oswego East (3-5, 1-3), which needed a win to keep its playoff hopes alive, led 2-0 after a quarter on a safety that came on a high Yorkville punt snap through the end zone.

On the third play of the second quarter, though, Alvarez picked off Niko Villacci’s screen pass in the left flat and rumbled 27 yards back for a 7-2 Foxes’ lead.

“I felt them going out for a screen, I just stood there and the quarterback threw it right to me,” Alvarez said. “I felt like I jumped pretty high to get an interception and made a good play. Our defensive coordinator was kind of calling it to watch for the screen. I diagnosed it and made a play.”

“Our tackle did exactly what he did, he chopped a guy, the defensive lineman fell down and our quarterback went to throw on a direct line,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said, “and the defensive end [Alvarez] stood up.”

Yorkville coach Dan McGuire compared Alvarez’s big play to the pick six by then-senior linebacker Blake Kersting in the first half of last year’s first-round playoff win over Libertyville.

And McGuire wasn’t surprised to see Alvarez make it Friday.

“He’s a tremendous athlete,” McGuire said. “We can put him anywhere defensively. Last year he played safety in a game, today he was playing defensive end and fullback – he’s doing it all. And he’s a great kid.”

Yorkville was still nursing its 7-2 lead to late in the fourth quarter when Oswego East took over at its 15-yard line with 5:25 left.

On the second play, Ferguson jumped a screen pass for a diving interception at the line of scrimmage.

“We watch a lot of film. That’s what it comes from, is preparation so we know what they’re going to do,” Ferguson said. “I see the three receiver slip out for the screen so I just jumped on it and the ball was in my hands. Our coaches are putting me in a position to make plays.”

Ferguson’s interception set up Josh Gettemy’s 1-yard TD run for a 13-2 lead with 1:40 left. Oswego East’s offense finally got on the board with 13.8 seconds left on Villacci’s 1-yard TD pass to Aidan White, but too little too late.

While out-gaining Yorkville, Oswego East lost the turnover battle, and had drives into Foxes’ territory stalled in both halves on penalties. Jasiah Watson ran for 66 yards on 18 carries for Oswego East, which in all likelihood will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

“We throw two interceptions on two screen passes, one was directly for a touchdown and one set up a touchdown. When you play good defensive teams you have to execute at a high level,” LeBlanc said. “Our two mistakes were enough to cost us the game. In this conference you have to finish drives with touchdowns.”

Gettemy rushed for 36 yards on 14 carries and Dopart threw for 75 for Yorkville.

Yorkville, with a win over Plainfield North next Friday at home, can clinch at least a share of the program’s first conference title since 1989. That history, and more recent history, isn’t lost on the Foxes.

“We only lost one regular-season game last year, on our Homecoming to Plainfield North,” Alvarez said. “It’s definitely a game we’ve had circled on our calendars.”