Shane Diericx’s TD catch on final play sends Wheaton North to wild win over Providence

WHEATON – Friday night’s nonconference football game at Wheaton North had just about everything.

Heck, the fourth quarter alone provided more big plays and drama than most games deliver in four quarters.

When all was said and done, the Falcons pulled off a wild 23-22 win over visiting Providence when receiver Shane Diericx caught a fourth-down pass from 6 yards out as time expired and managed to fend off a hard hit near the goal line to reach the end zone for the winning touchdown.

The Celtics, who were whistled for 15 penalties for 136 yards, had taken a 22-17 lead on the second of CJ Hill’s two touchdown runs, a 9-yard score with 2:26 left to play.

But a 46-yard kickoff return by the Falcons’ David Hyde gave the hosts the ball at the Celtics 44-yard line and set the stage for the crazy finish.

Before Nick Johnson hit Diericx for the winning score, the Falcons lost yards on a low snap and a couple of 5-yard penalties and at one point were faced with a fourth-and-goal from the 27 before a pair of flags against Providence gave them new life. A final Celtics penalty put the ball at the 6 with 2.7 seconds left.

With receivers spread out, Johnson looked wide before throwing over the middle to Diericx, who caught the ball just as the Celtics’ Danny Jones closed in hard. But the big collision could not keep the Falcons junior out of the end zone.

“It was fun,” said Diericx, who was part of a jubilant celebration on the field after time expired on this memorable opening night. “It was a great play call and I saw the middle open up and I looked for the ball and it was there. I was right at the goal line and he hit me and tried to strip the ball, but I got in.”

It was a night when players were cramping up and getting banged up, but both teams fought back as the teams exchanged scores throughout the game.

The Falcons struck first with a field goal set up by a 71-yard run by Matt Serbick, who didn’t finish the game. The Celtics then took a 9-3 lead at the half on an 18-yard touchdown run from Gavin Hagen and a safety after a punt snap by the Falcons went through the end zone.

But Wheaton North, which was hit hard by graduation after going 7-4 last season, held strong, taking a 10-9 lead on Johnson’s perfect 27-yard strike to Simon Kahsay in the third quarter. The Falcons went up 17-16 on a leaping grab by Hyde for a 5-yard score in the fourth quarter.

“We’ve worked so hard and I knew we would continue to fight,” said Johnson, who shook off two interceptions in the first half to finish with three touchdowns, including the last-second winner. “I knew Shane would pop open and so I looked to the side before coming back to him over the middle.”

Celtics quarterback Leo Slepski left the game with a leg injury in the fourth quarter and reserve AJ Rayford came to the rescue on the team’s final scoring drive, completing all three pass attempts and picking up 14 yards on a scamper that helped set the stage for Hill’s go-ahead score. Hill finished with 110 yards on 16 carries.

“We were ready, but we were not ready at the same time,” said Slepski, who attempted to return for a 2-point attempt after Hill’s fourth-quarter score, but a penalty moved the ball back and Rayford took over for an unsuccessful PAT run attempt. “It’s gonna come together. We just have to execute. It will be a different team next week.”

Wheaton North TD on final play of the game stuns Providence (dailyherald.com)