Woodstock North’s offense stays hot in Kishwaukee River Conference win over Harvard

HARVARD – Woodstock North’s strong running game doesn’t provide its talented quarterback, junior Parker Halihan, with an abundance of opportunities to throw.

Even so, Halihan took advantage of an opportunity during the second quarter Friday night.

“I saw [George Kingos] out there. I know he’s one of my fastest guys,” Halihan said, praising his tight end. “I saw that it was wide open on the outside.”

Wide-open Kingos turned and caught the pass, finishing the 36-yard score as the Thunder (6-0, 3-0 KRC) clinched a playoff berth with a 42-28 Kishwaukee River Conference victory to spoil Harvard’s homecoming.

The Hornets (2-4, 0-4 KRC) didn’t go down quietly, but the Thunder’s strong first-half performance proved too much to overcome.

After Maxwell Dennison brought the opening kickoff to the Thunder 35-yard line, running back Michael Pintor ran 65 yards down the sideline and across the goal line on the first play from scrimmage. The tone was set early as the Thunder went on to play to their season average (43.8 points per game) with a six-touchdown act.

Two weeks ago, Thunder fullback David Randecker rushed for two touchdowns. Last week, he added three more. This week, Randecker ran wild for 181 yards and found the end zone four times.

Randecker scored three of his TDs in the second quarter. First, he had a 3-yard score less than a minute in. He also broke free for a 24-yard score with 1:41 left in the half. Harvard fumbled on the subsequent kickoff, and Thunder kicker Brady Masella recovered. Randecker then added a 4-yard TD with 19 seconds left in the half, putting his team ahead 35-7.

Randecker thought only of his teammates in his postgame interview.

“We are in the playoffs. It feels great because this is the best team I’ve ever been on,” Randecker said.

He closed out his team’s scoring with a 9-yard rushing TD in the fourth quarter.

North freshman kicker Brock Lamz made all six of his extra-point attempts in his varsity debut.

Harvard redeemed its slow start with a strong second half performance. Senior quarterback Adam Cooke was unstoppable at times. Cooke, playing only his second year of organized football, followed up his first-down completion to Danny Rosas by winning a 58-yard foot race to the end zone in the second quarter.

The Hornets turned up the heat in the second half. Taking advantage of numerous penalties called against the Thunder, Cooke found pay dirt with a 2-yard score in the third quarter and again with a 25-yard TD in the fourth.

“We saw weak points in their defense and just capitalized on them,” Cooke said. “I think everyone’s proud with how we finished that game.”

Cooke recorded another long punt in the game, a 53-yarder in the first quarter, and threw the completion for the Hornets’ fourth and final touchdown.

With the game clock winding down, Cooke targeted Danny Rosas, the Hornets’ next biggest offensive threat, who hauled in the 45-yard touchdown reception.

“Adam stayed calm in the pocket,” Rosas said. “It doesn’t matter what the score is. We always keep pushing forward, and we keep our heads up.”

The Thunder now have sole possession of first place in the KRC after Sandwich’s 49-14 loss to Richmond-Burton.

Woodstock North coach Matt Polnow consistently decided to go for it when the Thunder faced fourth-down situations.

“The offense has been moving the ball all year, so I’m going to stay confident with them,” he said.

Polnow lauded his trustworthy offense, even as he said his team has some things to clean up.

“Overall, a win’s a win, so I’m happy,” Polnow said.