Caden O’Donnell’s interception sparks Sycamore’s fourth-quarter comeback against DeKalb

DeKALB – Caden O’Donnell had a couple of near-interceptions Friday in Sycamore’s 35-28 season-opening win over DeKalb at Huskie Stadium.

[ Purchase photos from the DeKalb-Sycamore game in our photo store ]

But the one he got his hands on was a difference-maker.

“It feels great,” said the senior linebacker after the rivalry game on NIU’s home field. “This is the last game I’ll be able to play on this field as a senior. Last time I play DeKalb. It’s a great feeling. Love it.”

O’Donnell’s fourth-quarter interception came right after a strange fumbled punt in which the ball bounced off a Sycamore player’s helmet and DeKalb recovered, already leading 28-21 with less than six minutes left.

But O’Donnell read the pass from DeKalb quarterback Cole Latimer and jumped the route.

“It was pretty devastating seeing that punt,” O’Donnell said. “Getting that pick, bringing it back, getting us in that position to win feels great. ... I dropped one earlier and I knew I had to get that one.”

O’Donnell returned the interception about 30 yards, setting the Spartans up on their own 25. Five plays later, Sycamore tied the game at 28 on a 3-yard run by Dylan Hodges.

On the next drive, O’Donnell had a fourth-down breakup to end a DeKalb drive at the Sycamore 36 with 37 seconds left.

On the first play, Aidan Wyzard turned a small pass from Burke Gautcher into a 64-yard score with 12 seconds left, showing off the speed that’s made him one of the best track athletes in the state.

“This just in: He’s fast,” Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. “When we get him the ball in the open field like that, that’s just awesome.”

The Barbs still had one final chance to tie or win when Latimer found wide receiver Davon Grant for a 50-yard gain, but Gautcher intercepted the final pass off the game as time expired.

“This one hurts,” DeKalb coach Derek Schneeman said. “There’s nothing that’s going to take the hurt away. You play a really good team Week 1, back and forth. There’s plays we’d like to have back. That’s just how it goes. We’ll figure out what we need to correct and move forward.”

It wasn’t just the last six minutes that was wild. Josiah Mitchell returned the opening kickoff 81 yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 Sycamore lead. The first DeKalb drive ended in a Latimer interception by Carter York, one of three picks he threw in a game he also passed for 423 yards and four touchdowns.

Sycamore scored on its first possession. After Gautcher hit York for 55 yards, Gautcher plowed in from a yard out and a 14-0 lead.

DeKalb answered back with two touchdowns before the end of the half, but missed both extra points and trailed 14-12 at the break. Billy Miller turned two slants from Latimer into touchdowns, the first going for 69 yards in the first quarter. Travis Gooden also had a 2-yard touchdown catch from Latimer before the half.

Miller’s second slant went for 71 yards to give the Barbs their first lead of the game, 20-12 with 4:23 left. DeKalb forced two Sycamore punts in the third quarter, then a 1-yard pass from Latimer to Grant on fourth and goal staked the Barbs to a 28-14 lead early in the fourth.

Sycamore got to within 28-21 with 7:30 left on a 1-yard run by Hodges.

Gautcher was 15 of 17 for 250 yards and ran five times for 27 yards. Hodges finished with 84 yards on 18 carries. DeKalb outgained Sycamore 490-356 but Sycamore had a 106-67 edge on the ground.

Grant finished with 11 catches for 147 yards and Miller had eight for 150.

“We talk about playing 48 minutes all the time,” Ryan said. “It’s not cliche. It’s what we believe in. We finally got some stops and it was a huge interception by Caden O’Donnell to get us back into the game after that muffed punt. It didn’t look good but our kids kept playing.”