Kayden Smith, Downers Grove South run past Addison Trail, clinch West Suburban Gold title

ADDISON – At times, Kayden Smith looks to be faking himself out on the football field.

The Downers Grove South senior running back owns an arsenal of moves. Combined with his speed and power, it makes for a dangerous concoction of skills that opponents have trouble stopping.

Oct. 25 was another example of Smith’s vast combination of skills.

“It’s all about vision and deciding fast where to go,” Smith said of his running style. “You have to know when to turn on speed and power. You can’t go too fast in some situations or go too slow. Sometimes you have to make somebody miss. You can’t always run through somebody. Sometimes you have to shake somebody.”

Addison Trail, in front of a mostly pink-clad home crowd, was the latest team to join the Smith fan club.

The 5-foot-9, 185-pound Smith closed out the regular season in style.

Led by two first-half touchdowns by Smith, the Mustangs cruised to a 38-14 victory over the Blazers.

Smith had 14 carries for 90 yards and two touchdowns in two-plus quarters of action.

By defeating the Blazers (7-2, 4-2), the Mustangs (7-2, 6-0) captured the West Suburban Conference Gold Division title and head into this weekend’s playoffs with a six-game winning streak. Downers Grove South will host Plainfield South at 7 p.m. Friday in the first round.

“It’s amazing to go 6-0 in conference,” Smith said. “We were doubted all of this time but we still came out with a win today and also won conference. It’s amazing.”

Smith was the driving engine behind the Oct. 25 victory, helping the Mustangs leap out to a 21-0 lead at halftime. After teammate Jace Modine recorded a fourth-down sack for a loss of 26 yards, the Mustangs ran four straight running plays before finding the end zone on Daniel Manseh’s 3-yard TD plunge.

Over a six-minute span in the second quarter, it was Smith’s time. He showed off his quickness and power by taking a screen pass, busting through a few defenders, making a few cuts and finishing with a 58-yard run to the 2-yard line. Smith ended the drive with a 2-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead.

Late in the second quarter, Downers Grove South senior quarterback Dominic West hooked up with Keon Maggitt for a 70-yard TD pass.

West, who passed for 262 yards and two TDs, completed his first five passes for 177 yards and a touchdown before ending the half by tossing an interception in the end zone.

Smith saved his best play for the third quarter, busting up the middle and then running into a wall of defenders. But he managed to keep his legs churning. All of a sudden, Smith broke through the crowd to cap a highlight-reel 23-yard run.

Even though Smith had a game to remember, Maggitt had two memorable plays that surely will be on the Mustangs’ season-ending highlight video. The speedy receiver hauled in four passes for 136 yards and two touchdowns to make the Mustangs a two-way threat on offense.

“We can be unstoppable when we play like that,” Maggitt said.

Maggitt saved his best play for his final reception, taking a short pass and then trying to juke a few defenders before reversing course and going the opposite way toward the visiting side. Several times Maggitt almost was brought down for a loss, but he broke a few ankle tackle attempts with some next-level moves until finally finding a seam and darting 46 yards for a touchdown.

“I was just running, saw all of the blockers and great grass and ran to the other side and trusted my teammates to block for me and they did,” Maggitt said. “I made a lot of (moves). I was tired. I didn’t even want to celebrate because I was so tired. That was my best touchdown of my whole career.”

The Blazers managed to produce several big plays in defeat in their new camouflage military uniforms. Junior quarterback Nico Dill spread the ball out to several targets, finishing with 282 passing yards and two touchdowns. Casey Carlson caught a 31-yard TD pass midway through the fourth quarter. The Blazers’ Dominic Renc and Raja Corhn both intercepted passes. Corhn had a 66-yard TD catch with one minute left in the game.