After two straight trips to the state semifinals, York went through a coaching change, some players graduated. But the Dukes are back to the same level of excellence.
York rolled to a 34-15 victory over Warren on Friday in Elmhurst and will face Naperville Central in the Class 8A semifinals next weekend.
First-year head coach Don Gelsomino explained how York didn’t lose a beat this season.
“January 8 last year, we’re in the weight room,” he said. “Everyone’s in there and there’s 150 kids. They lost their head coach and there were 150 kids in the weight room and that’s how it starts. They went through it and they grinded and I love them for it.”
The Dukes had a solid game plan, keeping Warren’s powerful offense in check until the game was decided. Blue Devils junior running back Aaron Stewart found some room late in the game and finished with 116 yards on 20 carries. But his first 11 attempts netted just 17 yards.
York senior nose guard Tyler Hayes was right in the middle of it all, diving into Warren’s offensive line on most every snap.
“Our whole defense is made to stop the run, so it’s a really perfect game for us,” Hayes said. ”I usually get doubled a lot. I fire off, I get hit really hard, but I try to read the back from there and get rid of the blockers.
“I really think our head coach leaving last year really brought us together and made us have new hope with our new head coach. Third straight semifinal.”
Warren forced a three-and-out on York’s first possession, but couldn’t capitalize on good field position. The second time the Dukes offense took the field, the long runs began. Running backs Jimmy Conners and Henry Duda pounded the defense, then quarterback Bruno Massel would keep the ball, find a crease and head straight to the end zone.
York quarterback Bruno Massel celebrates a second-quarter touchdown against Warren during a Class 8A football quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Elmhurst.
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Massel scored on touchdown runs of 37, 66, 26 and 40 yards. He finished with 176 yards on 9 carries, Conners added 127 yards on 11 carries and Warren couldn’t do much to slow things down.
York’s offensive line of Kosta Kampas, Jack Ryszetnyk, Jack Wahr, Jack Bodach and Camden Sivewright dominated the line of scrimmage while Notre Dame commit Joe Reiff anchored the defensive line and shuffled in on offense.
“This team’s been together for a long time,” Massel said. “A lot of summer workouts, a lot of offseason workouts. And those two losses really bonded us. We could have just laid down and decided the season was over from there but we really put everything together.”
The Blue Devils had one first-half turnover that pushed the deficit a little deeper, but essentially couldn’t keep up after winning twice in the playoffs as a No. 27 seed.
“We didn’t tackle well on defense and we didn’t move it early on the offensive side,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “That’s a good football team, they belong where they’re at. The conference they play in is really tough. They deserve to be going to the semifinals.”
Warren’s Aaron Stewart, middle, celebrates his fourth-quarter touchdown with teammates Jake Newcomb, left, and Miller Hallman during a Class 8A football quarterfinal on Friday, Nov. 15, 2024 in Elmhurst.
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After carrying a huge workload in the backfield, Stewart, a defending state champion, will move onto wrestling season.
“This is more than what ever could have been expected of us,” Stewart said. “I think we have 11, 12 of our starters who were out for the season. We made do with what we had and we still got to this point, so I’m proud of all my guys.”