http://yourseason.suntimes.com/football/1282031,111508-football-hinsdale-central-brother-rice.article
 
Lutz's boot carries Red Devils past Rice

November 15, 2008
BY STEVE TUCKER -- SUN-TIMES

The game-winner wasn’t the biggest field goal that Hinsdale Central’s David Lutz ever kicked. It was the only one.

Lutz’s 25-yard kick with 17.8 seconds remaining hit the junction of the crossbar and the upright and fell over to give the Red Devils a 17-14 victory over host Brother Rice before a standing-room crowd of 6,000 in a Class 8A quarterfinal Saturday night.

“I was really nervous,” Lutz said. “I knew they had blocked one earlier, but I just had to do it. It’s funny that it came down to special teams because last year they beat us [21-20] when we missed a field goal and an extra point.”

“He’s a wrestler so I don’t think one-on-one situations get to him,” Hinsdale coach Mike DiMatteo said. “He didn’t look nervous to me ... he looked like he was going to go have a cup of tea.”

The field goal capped a drive that saw the Red Devils (10-2) convert two critical fourth downs.

“At the time, those plays didn’t seem so big, but they made the difference,” said Hinsdale quarterback John Whitelaw, who carried 26 times for 157 yards and threw for 149 more.

“In the playoffs, you can’t leave anything behind. When Dave was kicking, Richie [Zajeski] and I were sitting down and holding hands. We learned against Glenbard West [a 9-0 Week 9 loss] that we were not invincible. That was our wake-up call.”

Brother Rice moved the ball into Hinsdale territory and a 55-yard field goal attempt on the last plat fell five yards short.

Freshman Martez Walker’s 12-yard run put the Crusaders (9-3) ahead 14-7. But Hinsdale answered with a 72-yard drive capped by a three-yard scoring run by Zajeski with 16.7 second to play in the third quarter.

Hinsdale will host Mount Carmel in a Class 8A semifinal next weekend.

“Last year they got us in the last seconds and this year we got them,” DiMatteo said. “I don’t know if I could take a third game, but I’m happy.

“First we get Brother Rice and now Mount Carmel. If we get to the championship who do we get, the Bears? We’ve been waiting for a shot at [Brother Rice] for a year.”

The Red Devils got on the board first on a three-yard run by Zajeski (18 carries, 110 yards) with 3:41 to play in the first quarter. It capped a 37-yard drive after a 46-yard punt by Whitelaw pinned the Crusaders at their 2.

Brother Rice answered with a 65-yard scoring drive capped by a 23-yard pass from Tom Gibson to Kevin Koehler that tied the game at 7.

Hinsdale threatened last in the half after a 44-yard pass from Whitelaw to Zajeski. But a 23-yard field-goal attempt was blocked by Andrew Weishar.

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