No. 1 Lincoln-Way East trails for first time but handles No. 2 Naperville Central 28-7

FRANKFORT – Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar chuckled when asked if Friday night’s showdown with fellow unbeaten Naperville Central was a pass/fail test or if there were grades to be handed out.

The top-ranked Griffins passed the test with panache. East beat the Redhawks, No. 2 in the Associated Press’ Class 8A poll, 28-7, scoring four touchdowns after allowing Central to jump ahead in the game’s first minute.

Lincoln-Way East (9-0) hadn’t trailed all season, and the taste didn’t sit well with the Griffins. But they scored on offense and defense before the half was out, added two more scores in the second half and now have likely earned the top seed in 8A and what should be a comparatively easy – if there is such a thing – first-round opponent.

“That was as good a defense as we’ve seen, and they got some turnovers on us,” Zvonar said. “And some guys got hurt and couldn’t finish. It was probably a good night to have 90 guys on your team. We hung in there. Twenty-eight to seven, this is the best team we’ve played.”

The Redhawks (8-1) were the first team to lead East all season. Blessed with a splendid quarterback in senior Sebastian Hayes (19-of-35 passing, 172 yards, one touchdown), they took an early advantage. While the Griffins – blessed with a great quarterback themselves in Jonas Williams (14-of-20, 142 yards, one touchdown) – yielded early, they were stout late, and the momentum gradually shifted.

The uncommon showdown of the top two teams in the 8A poll in the final week of the regular season drew some 3,500 fans to East’s lair. They witnessed a defensive battle punctuated by a handful of big plays.

One came on East’s fourth possession, a 51-yard pass from Williams to Keagan Ruane to the Central 24. From there, Brody Gish (10 carries, 53 yards) took a pitch to the right and squeaked into the right corner of the end zone to tie the score at 7. Gish later caught Williams’ only touchdown pass of the night – and his 30th in eight games played this season – for a 21-7 lead.

The Griffins went up 14-7 on burly Gage LaDere’s 63-yard touchdown interception with 6:55 left in the second quarter. Hayes was under heavy pressure when he floated an ill-advised pass, and LaDere outmuscled a Redhawks receiver for the ball, then lumbered down the left sideline for the go-ahead score. It was his second interception return for a touchdown this season.

“I just saw the ball up in the air and made a football play,” LaDere said. “I’ve got to thank Caden O’Rourke and the other linemen for getting to him. I was just going as far as I can. I just started running.”

Naperville Central scored first, converting Jonas Williams’ fumble deep in East territory into a touchdown on its first offensive play. Hayes hit wide-open DeShaun Williams from the 14 for a 7-0 advantage 55 seconds in. But appearances deceived.

This isn’t Lincoln-Way East’s first 9-0 regular season. On three of those previous occasions, the Griffins ran the playoff table as well.

“This means our team is unified, bonded and had a great season,” LaDere said. “This gives us a great sense of where we’re at and what we need to work on.”

“This is a great team accomplishment,” Gish said.