Seneca stays undefeated, pulls away from Dwight/GSW in homecoming showdown

SENECA – In a high-energy clash Friday night, Seneca came alive in the second half and shut down Dwight/Gardner-South Wilmington with a commanding 52-22 victory to continue its undefeated season.

The Fighting Irish struck early, as senior quarterback Paxton Giertz opened the scoring with a 22-yard touchdown run, going untouched into the end zone on the first possession.

After both teams exchanged a series of three-and-outs, senior running back Brody Rademacher extended Seneca’s lead with a 17-yard rushing touchdown, putting the Fighting Irish up 14-0 by the end of the first quarter.

A potential game-changing moment for the Trojans came when a 70-yard touchdown pass to junior tight end Joey Starks was called back due to a holding penalty. Regardless, the Trojans maintained their composure and answered back with a 6-yard counter play from senior running back Dylan Crouch, closing the gap to 14-7 at halftime.

On the first play of the second half, Trojans sophomore running back Ayden Collom broke free for a stunning 67-yard touchdown run, tying the game at 14-14.

The momentum shifted in favor of Dwight, and it looked like it set the stage for a thrilling finish in Seneca.

However, the Fighting Irish responded with authority, showcasing their balanced ground game and unleashing an offensive onslaught that resulted in 32 unanswered points, putting the game out of reach.

Seneca featured four different ballcarriers who collectively racked up 404 yards, including senior running back Nick Grant, junior running back Cameron Shirley, Rademacher and Giertz.

Giertz officially became Seneca’s all-time scoring leader with a 1-yard touchdown run off a quarterback keeper in the second half.

“It feels great. I didn’t really know about it until like two weeks ago,” Giertz said. “I knew there was a possibility, but [head coach Terry] Maxwell never told me how close I actually was. He just said there’s a possibility of it happening this year, so just do what you normally do and it will eventually happen.”

Giertz made a significant impact in every aspect of the game, finishing with seven carries for 82 yards and two rushing touchdowns. He also went 2-for-2 passing for 49 yards, recorded three tackles and tacked on a 40-yard field goal.

“I think being out there all game just allows me to be a better leader. I can lead on special teams, contribute on defense and, of course, guide the offense as our quarterback,” Giertz said.

Maxwell had high praise for his senior captain after Giertz’s performance and strong start to the season in general.

“He’s a special athlete and unanimous captain for us,” Maxwell said. “The guys really respect him for his work ethic and character. What stands out most about him is the dedication he puts in behind the scenes, along with his integrity.

“He’s just an easy guy for our team to follow.”

For Dwight/GSW, despite amassing 405 yards from scrimmage the offense struggled to establish a consistent rhythm. They leaned heavily on big plays from Collom and Starks, who together accounted for 315 of those total yards.

Maxwell commended his defense despite some big plays and busts in coverage.

“Honestly, we didn’t have a great week of practice, so we were a little concerned coming in,” he said. “But our guys did a great job coming downhill, reading their keys and making big tackles.”

Seneca (6-0, 3-0) remains undefeated and currently has no scheduled game for next week with a probable forfeit from Waltham Christian looming.

Meanwhile, Dwight/GSW (3-3, 0-2) suffered its third consecutive loss as it prepares to host St. Bede next Friday night in another Chicagoland Prairie Conference game.