http://yourseason.suntimes.com/football/1229860,101808-football-hinsdalecentral-provisowest.article

Red Devils fend off Proviso West upset bid

October 18, 2008
BY ALEX HICKEY

Hinsdale Central survived big games by Proviso West's Theodis Sloan and Kyle Prater to pull out a 53-29 West Suburban Silver win on Saturday.

Sloan passed for 424 yards and Prater finished with 263 receiving yards.

"Geez, he's 6-5 and he jumps up to the sky," Hinsdale Central coach Mike DiMatteo said of Prater. "There's not a whole lot you can do when they throw a helium ball. The kid's just a great athlete."

The Panthers (2-6, 0-6 West Suburban Silver) held a surprising 29-27 lead after three quarters. But the dream was extinguished as the No. 9 Red Devils (7-1, 5-0) exploded with 26 unanswered points in the final 12 minutes.

Sloan was intercepted three times in the fourth quarter. He finished with four touchdown passes, two of which went to Prater.

Jake Knowles scored three 1-yard touchdowns for Hinsdale Central, while quarterback John Whitelaw excelled through the air (237 yards, one TD) and on the ground (144 yards, two TDs).

"We were not mentally prepared, and that's my fault," DiMatteo said.

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