Pigskin Preview | Hinsdale Central (1-0) at Willowbrook (0-1)


Bill Stone, Sports Writer | Hinsdale Doings | Published August 31, 2006

• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 1, at John Fischer Stadium, 1250 S.
Ardmore Ave., Villa Park

• Last year: Hinsdale Central 33, Willowbrook 6

• Outlook: Both teams got off to slow starts in their season openers. The
Red Devils pulled away for a 16-0 victory at Evanston Saturday with two
fourth-quarter touchdowns. The Warriors lost to visiting Glenbard East 17-14
Friday after trailing 14-0 entering the fourth quarter.

“Our offense is based on timing, and it’s one thing in practice to run it
but another when you have an opponent coming at you with a variety of
different angles and the athletes (Evanston has),” first-year Hinsdale
Central coach Mike DiMatteo said Saturday. “It was just a matter of figuring
it out and getting the timing and settling it all down.”

Returning starters Jack DiNardo and Matt Kajmowicz and Nick Chenier, Troy
Laing and Chase Culbertson and John Melbourne helped the defense record its
first shutout since Week 3 against Hinsdale South last season. The offense
should get a boost soon from the return of slotback Billy Auriemma, who is
recovering from mononucleosis.

Willowbrook returns 13 starters from last year’s 2-7 team that ended a
streak of three straight playoff trips.

Returning all-conference defensive tackle Dave Rowland (6-foot-1, 200
pounds) also rushes in the Warriors’ goal-line package and scored on a
12-yard run Friday. Quarterback Curtis Hudson, who started late last season,
has found a new receiving threat in junior Milton Colbert (6-5, 202), who
did not play as a sophomore. Colbert caught four passes for 138 yards,
including a 65-yard TD grab and another that set up Rowland’s score. Colbert
appeared to make a catch inside the 10 late in the game that was ruled
incomplete. The Warriors then missed a 38-yard field goal to tie the game.
Offensive linemen Colin Madison (6-4, 280), the 2006 Class AA state shot
put champion in May, DeAndric Williams (6-2, 280) and Patrick O’Connor (6-1,
220) are third-year starters. Linebackers Jason Tadlock (6-1, 205) and Ryan
Mazgay (6-3, 200) also return.

• Quotable: “The score of (the Red Devils’) first game doesn’t show how good
they are. I think they were trying to get in tune with a new offense, a new
staff,” second-year Willowbrook coach Mark Olson said. “The key for us is
limiting mistakes. We can’t turn the ball over. We had three penalties
(Friday), but they were three key penalties in key situations for us.
Especially when you’re in the red zone, especially with the team like
Hinsdale Central, they’ll capitalize on those mistakes.”

Copyright © 2006, The Doings