Oswego pulls away late to beat Oswego East, completes perfect regular season

OSWEGO – Mikey Claycombe said he always considered this Oswego team capable of a perfect regular season.

And they’re not done yet.

The Panthers put the finishing touches on the program’s first 9-0 regular season since 2018 on Friday. Lucas Andersen rushed for two touchdowns, Kaleb Stumpenhorst kicked three field goals and Claycombe and the Oswego defense did the rest in a 23-7 win at Oswego East.

“We saw this team over the summer and I’m not saying we expected this – but we expected this,” said Claycombe, a senior linebacker who had two of Oswego’s three sacks Friday. “Based on the team, how we prepared, we went in with the mentality that we are winning every game. Proud of the team. Proud of all of us, it’s a great accomplishment. But the job is not finished yet.”

Oswego senior running back Ayden Villa, who rushed for 105 yards on 19 carries, echoed that thought. Oswego (9-0, 5-0 Southwest Prairie West) entered Friday as one of just 27 unbeaten teams left in the state, and now looks forward to its first home playoff game since 2019. Oswego hosts Waubonsie Valley.

“We got a lot to do still,” Villa said. “It’s a good accomplishment. But we’re not finished yet.”

Oswego, meanwhile, kept its rival out of playoff contention in the 20th crosstown meeting. Oswego East (4-5, 2-3), trailing 13-0 at half, got to within a score with 1:46 left in the third quarter. Junior QB Niko Villacci, seemingly running out of bounds under pressure, connected with Andrew Pohlman for a 57-yard TD pass down the right sideline.

But the Wolves managed just one first down over their final three possessions. Stumpenhorst tacked on a 35-yard field goal and Andersen took in an 11-yard TD run for the final margin.

Oswego East, which had won its last two games to keep its playoff hopes alive, missed the postseason for the second consecutive year after seven straight appearances.

“We feel like we’re a better team than our record indicates but obviously we have to find ways to come up with wins in these tight games,” Oswego East coach Tyson LeBlanc said. “It was a rinse wash repeat type of thing. Our defense played well. That’s what our M.O. has been all season. They get worn down and give up a couple late ones.”

Oswego, which has won all but two of the crosstown matchups, led 13-0 at half on Andersen’s 5-yard TD run and Stumpenhorst field goals of 24 and 34 yards.

But the Panthers couldn’t shake the Wolves, hardly to the surprise of Oswego coach Brian Cooney.

“They are always ready for this game, it’s always a close game it seems,” Cooney said. “Both teams were ready to roll. Fun game to coach. Proud of our kids for getting through it. We built a schedule, it is what it is, played some good competition and the kids knocked it out.”

Oswego’s first-team defense that’s allowed just four touchdowns all year looked the part Friday. Aside from Villacci’s long throw to Pohlman, the Panthers allowed just 77 yards of offense, 32 coming in the first half.

Villacci, under pressure throughout the night, completed 8 of 23 passes for 111 yards.

“They hit us on that broken play, their quarterback did a phenomenal job of keeping plays alive,” Cooney said. “But for the most part, I thought our defense played well.”

Oswego East, which managed just 23 rushing yards, was able to connect on a few plays in various drives but able to sustain little. Claycombe sacked Villacci on fourth down on Oswego East’s only drive past midfield in the first half.

“The consistency of it is what’s been lacking for us offensively,” LeBlanc said. “And again, they’re a great defense, that’s a big part of it. But it’s the consistency with penalties or a missed opportunity.”

Andersen rushed for 50 yards and Brett Connolly was 8 for 16 for 100 yards for Oswego.

“We knew that they needed this win, that it would help their playoff chances,” Claycombe said. “We knew they needed this but we needed to play our best ball. Crosstown rivalry, they’re always a good team but we played our best ball and showed we’re the better team.”