Shorthanded Jets dominate
CRYSTAL FALLS — You know you have an extraordinary team when you win 42-0 and it was your closest game of the season.
That’s how dominant the North Central Jets have been in 2021. And that six-touchdown win over a solid Forest Park team on Oct. 22 at Dick Mettlach Field came without starting quarterback Luke Gorzinski and starting running back/middle linebacker Alex Nasser.
Instead of their preferred arial attack, North Central turned to its power running game and finished with 422 yards on the ground along with six touchdowns. Senior Wyatt Raab led the way with 211 yards and four touchdowns.
“We were kind of indecisive when we started the game,” NC coach Leo Gorzinski admitted. “We didn’t know if we were going to be able to continue with our spread formation and we haven’t used that five-man power front a whole lot. But yeah, once we got going, I was pretty pleased with it.”
Raab opened the scoring with a 30-yard jaunt at the 2:08 mark of the first quarter. He added the 2-point run to put the top-ranked Jets (9-0) on top.
Junior Drew Allgeyer, who was terrific both offensively at running back and defensively at linebacker, put up NC’s second touchdown, a 24-yard run six seconds into the second quarter.
Raab added a 27-yard scoring romp and the Jets took a 22-0 lead into intermission.
Given the fact that North Central usually has teams put away by halftime, Forest Park coach Brian Fabbri felt OK about the opening two quarters.
“We knew it was an uphill climb,” Fabbri said.
“We came out and hit them and they hit us. We tried to slow the game down, which I thought was our best chance to stay in the game. And to be down 22-0 at halftime and having fumbled on (the Jets’ 1-yard line), I was super proud of my team.”
The Trojans (7-2) struggled with their preferred power run game, but we able to get behind the Jets’ secondary for some big pass plays. Forest Park completed passes of 34 yards (twice) and 43 yards and advanced past the NC 30-yard line three times.
But each time, the Jets stood strong. And that was no surprise, given North Central’s first-team defense has allowed just one touchdown this season.
“It’s just the competition that they have during the season amongst themselves,” Coach Gorzinski said of his defense. “When they line up and they’ve got to chase down Luke and Alex, it gives them good reps all the time. The best competition we’ve had for them has been in practice.”
Gorzinski pointed out that statement was not meant as any offense to the Trojans.
“It was a hard-fought game,” he said. “Give credit to Forest Park. They played tough.”
The Jets held the Trojans’ vaunted game to only 131 yards on 40 carries. Forty-four of those yards came on one play, an explosive run by Trojan sophomore Felix Quebedo.
North Central wasted no time adding to its lead in the second half. Raab burst free for a 64-yard touchdown on the Jets’ first play from scrimmage of the third quarter as they increased their lead to 29-0.
With just under a minute left in the third quarter, Raab ran in from 28 yards and NC’s impressive kicker Jaden Walters added the PAT to give the Jets a 35-point lead and start the running clock.
Leo Gorzinski said his starting quarterback could have played in the game in an emergency, but he was not needed. That plan may continue into next week’s playoff opener.
“Luke can go,” the coach said. “We’re trying to rest him as long as we can. But in an emergency, we will break the glass.”
On the other hand, Nasser is expected to miss more time.
“You don’t want to go without Alex and Luke, but these guys stepped up and proved they were football players tonight.”
Through their remarkable regular season, the Jets out-scored their opponents 478-13. One game was a forfeit win over Gogebic in Week 8.
NC 8 14 13 7 – 42
FP 0 0 0 0 – 0
First quarter
NC – Raab 30-yard run (Raab run), 8-0, 2:08
Second quarter
NC – Allgeyer 24-yard run (Walters kick), 15-0, 11:54
NC – Raab 27-yard run (Walters kick), 22-0, 6:31
Third quarter
NC – Raab 64-yard run (Walters kick), 29-0, 11:41
NC – Raab 28-yard run (pass failed), 35-0, 0:59.7
Fourth quarter
NC – J. Gorzinski 24-yard run (Walters kick), 42-0, 7:39
RUSHING
North Central – 422 yards on 33 carries
Forest Park – 122 yards on 40 carries
PASSING
North Central – 3-11-0 for 17 yards
Forest Park – 4-6-0 122 yards
TOTAL OFFENSE
North Central 439 yards
Forest Park 162 yards
Individuals
RUSHING
North Central – Raab 11-211, Allgeyer 8-110, Labonte 8-50, J. Gorzinski 3-31, L. Gorzinski 2-14, Tietz 1-6
Forest Park – F. Quevedo 14-81, S. McKissack 15-34, V. Curtis 3-10, Woollard 1-3, Alder 5-0, T. McKissack 1-0
PASSING
North Central – Labonte 3-11-0 17 yards
Forest Park – W. Curtis 1-1-0 43, S. McKissack 2-3-0 35, F. Quevedo 1-1-0 34
RECEIVING
North Central – Raab 2-11, Allgeyer 1-6
Forest Park – S. McKissack 2-77, W. Curtis 1-34, Alder 1-1