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Hinsdale Central 46, Downers South 12

October 31, 2008
By Ken Ryan

The Hinsdale Central football team proved once again that playoff seeds don’t always mean much.

The ninth-seeded Red Devils pounded No. 8 Downers Grove South 46-12 Friday in a first-round Class 8A playoff contest in Downers Grove.

It was the third season in a row that Hinsdale Central defeated a higher seed in the first round of the playoffs.

“We played really well obviously,” Hinsdale Central coach Mike DiMatteo said. “You never know what you’re going to get in the first round of the playoffs in terms of how the kids are going to come out of the gate. We played with a lot of energy today.”

Hinsdale Central (8-2) will now play host to top-seed and undefeated Bolingbrook (10-0), which beat Curie 62-13 Friday, in a second-round playoff game.

Downers South (7-3) actually appeared poised to score first, moving to the Hinsdale Central 5-yard line on the opening drive of the game. But Eric Alexander stripped the ball from running back Scottie Williams and returned it 95 yards for a touchdown to put the Red Devils ahead 7-0 with 9 minutes, 34 seconds left in the first quarter to begin the rout. Alexander also rushed for 72 yards on 11 carries.

In a game featuring two of the best junior quarterbacks in the state, Hinsdale Central’s John Whitelaw easily won the battle Friday. Whitelaw completed 12 of 15 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns and also rushed for 99 yards on 15 carries and scored two more touchdowns.

Downers South junior quarterback Chandler Whitmer was 14-for-26 passing for 208 yards and a touchdown, but most of his production came with the outcome already decided and a running clock in place in the fourth quarter.

Whitelaw put the Red Devils up 14-0 with a 16-yard TD run and then threw a 7-yard TD pass to Mick Culligan (7 catches, 92 yards) to make the lead 21-0 after one quarter.

Hinsdale Central was still without leading rusher Rich Zajeski, who is nursing a high ankle sprain, but he should be ready to return against Bolingbrook .

Sophomore Jake Knowles has made the most of his increased playing time because of the injury. He scored on a pair of 1-yard runs in the win.

Knowles’ first TD put the Red Devils ahead 27-0 with 7:05 left in the second quarter, and Alex Kirk then caught an 18-yard TD pass from Whitelaw to help the Red Devils take a 33-0 halftime advantage.

Knowles added his second TD midway through the third quarter, and Whitelaw scored his second touchdown on a 2-yard run to make the score 46-0 and start the running clock with 7:10 left in the game.

Downers South, which lost leading receiver Wes Manzer to an injury early in the game, spoiled the shutout bid when Williams scored on a 4-yard run with 1:57 remaining. Following an onside kick recovery, Whitmer eventually hit Jason Jozaites on a 9-yard TD strike with 15.2 seconds left.

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