West Aurora keeps rolling, pulls away from South Elgin

SOUTH ELGIN – South Elgin put on an impressive fireworks display during halftime of its game against West Aurora.

But on the field, it was the visiting Blackhawks who provided most of the fireworks.

Speedy sophomore tailback Bryce Riley scored on two long runs, Nicholas Weisse returned an interception for a score and West Aurora pulled away for a 50-7 Upstate Eight win.

Riley, who scored on runs of 50 and 94 yards, finished with 223 rushing yards on just 11 carries. Azuriah Sylvester added 104 yards and a score for the Blackhawks (4-0, 2-0).

South Elgin (1-3, 1-1) led after the first quarter. The Blackhawks took the lead on a short run by Mike Williams in the final minute of the period but it took the Storm just two plays to answer with a 72-yard run by DeAndre McCullough. Sam Cutinello’s extra point was the difference at that point.

The Blackhawks took the lead for good with three scores in a span of just over a minute.

Sylvester started the scoring run with a 7-yard TD. After the kickoff, a penalty backed the Storm up inside their 10-yard line. On first down, Temilade Dada broke free and sacked Storm quarterback John Ginnan in the end zone for a safety.

On the second play after the free kick, the Blackhawks ran a double reverse, with Riley taking the handoff from Williams, breaking through and racing 50 yards to make it 22-7.

Weisse’s pick-six and a touchdown pass from Mason Atkins to Reece Powers made it 36-7 after 3 quarters.

Atkins took one in himself before Riley finished the scoring in spectacular fashion. From the West Aurora 6, he started around the left side, broke free and raced untouched into the end zone.

“I hit the left hole,” he said. “I didn’t think I was going to hit it, and my vision went to the right, I headed upfield and just didn’t get caught. I turned the jets on.”

Blackhawks coach Nate Eimer was impressed that his team overcame the slow start and was able to pull away. He identified the turning point in the game a sequence right after South Elgin took the lead.

West Aurora fumbled the ensuing kickoff, with DeAngelo Cain recovering for the Storm. But the Blackhawk defense forced a turnover on downs and Atkins proceeded to march the Blackhawks 75 yards for the score to take the lead.

“The thing that was most impressive to me tonight was it wasn’t just right away,” said Eimer. “It was 7-6, they get a turnover on the kickoff, we get a stop and after that our kids just kept answering.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240920/prep-football/west-aurora-keeps-rolling-pulls-away-from-south-elgin/