Wheaton Warrenville South’s Amari Williams (88) lays out for a catch during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Owen Lansu confessed to a case of the nerves prior to his first playoff game last season.
But Friday?
The Downers Grove North junior quarterback and Minnesota recruit treated his team’s first-round game like any other.
“To be honest with you, I wasn’t nervous at all going into tonight,” Lansu said. “I had confidence, I felt good. I didn’t know what to expect going into last year’s game. Tonight it was like any other game. We knew we were prepared and knew what we had to do.”
Lansu indeed looked the part of a confident, experienced quarterback.
Downers Grove North’s Charlie Cruse (11) makes a catch for a touchdown during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
He directed touchdown drives on five of the six possessions he was in for and threw for two touchdowns himself in an efficient performance. Fifth-seeded Downers Grove North scored the final 27 points for a 34-7 win over 28th-seeded Wheaton Warrenville South in a Class 7A first-round game.
The Trojans (9-1) advance to face the winner of Saturday’s Brother Rice-Fenwick game.
Taking what the defense gave him throughout, Lansu displayed two traits that make him one of the state’s elite quarterbacks: a quick release and accuracy.
The Downers Grove North junior completed 18-of-21 passes to five receivers for 216 yards. It started on the game’s opening drive, when Lansu hit three of four passes in a drive that culminated with Alec Fiermuga’s 19-yard TD run.
“They were playing Cover-4, they were giving us a lot of free stuff, so our mindset was just take the free stuff until they take it away, march down the field,” Lansu said. “The message for us all year is that when we execute, nobody can stop us. Tonight I thought we did a good job of executing.”
Wheaton Warrenville South’s Owen Yorke (3) runs with the ball during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North coach Joe Horeni is used to seeing his second-year starter execute at a high level.
The Trojans’ second possession ended with a Jake Gregorio 1-yard TD run, and Lansu went 4 for 4 in a 6-play, 98-yard drive capped by Will Vala’s impressive 43-yard, catch-and-run TD through multiple tackles for a 20-7 lead.
“When you have a quarterback that’s as accurate as Owen, it’s a great benefit,” Horeni said. “He gets the ball out fast. Our guys protected well, but sometimes they don’t have to because he gets the ball out so fast.”
WW South (5-5) matched Downers Grove North’s first drive with a TD of its own, Luca Carbonaro scrambling for an 8-yard TD run.
The Tigers, trailing 20-7 in the closing minutes of the first half, drove to the Downers Grove North 10 with the chance to draw within a score at half.
Downers Grove North’s Will Vala (85) breaks some tackles on the way to a touchdown during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
But the drive stalled, and WW South missed a 33-yard field goal on the last play of the half.
“Sputtering in the red zone there, it really would have been nice to get points at the end of that,” WW South coach Sean Norris said. “When you play good teams, it comes down to fundamentals. We didn’t tackle in the first half well. We gave up a couple busted explosive plays, we didn’t block well — again, fundamentals will carry you against good teams. Those things will hurt you, big time.”
Wheaton Warrenville South’s Owen York (3) is tackled by Downers Grove North’s Antonio Kollintzas (22) during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s defense, after giving up a touchdown on WW South’s first drive, didn’t give up anything else. Joe Edwards had two of the Trojans’ three sacks and Oliver Thulin, who had five catches offensively, had one of Downers Grove North’s two second-half interceptions.
“Game plan coming in was gotta work with three guys getting pressure on the QB, but eventually we started mixing in four guys and we were able to get to them a lot more often,” Edwards said.
Lansu threw a 17-yard TD pass to Charlie Cruse and Fiermuga, who ran for 77 yards on 12 carries, completed the scoring with a 2-yard TD run.
Vala had 5 catches for 87 yards and Cruse 4 for 40.
Carbonaro was 21 for 34 for 129 yards, NIU recruit Amari Williams catching nine of those passes for 75 yards for WW South.
Downers Grove North’s Owen Lansu (1) looks to pass during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North, last year’s 7A runner-up, cleared a first hurdle to a return to state against a tricky first-round opponent.
“That was a really good 5-4 team we played,” Horeni said. “They’re well-coached, tough to handle defensively. My defensive coordinator was saying they run 27 different formations with multiple variations, tough to prepare for … quarterback is phenomenal. Happy with the way the boys executed.”
Downers Grove North’s Owen Lansu (1) starts to pass during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Wheaton Warrenville South’s Amar’e Williams (38) runs during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s Alec Fiermunga (2) runs during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Wheaton Warrenville South’s Lucas Carbonaro (15) drops back to pass during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s Charlie Cruse (11) makes a catch for a touchdown during the 7A first-round playoff game between Wheaton Warrenville South and Downers Grove North high schools on Friday, Nov. 1, 2024 in Downers Grove.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network