THE SKINNY
Thanks to a 20-point second quarter, No. 14 Neuqua Valley overwhelmed West Chicago 39-13 in the Upstate Eight Valley. Junior quarterback Broc Rutter threw two touchdowns while junior running back Nolan Dean ran for a pair of TDs.
TURNING POINT
Consecutive one-play scoring drives in the second quarter helped pave the way for Neuqua Valley (7-1, 5-0), which built a 33-7 halftime lead. A 42-yard TD run from Dean was immediately followed up by a 50-yard TD pass from Rutter to senior wide receiver Mike Dudek, who had three catches for 98 yards and a TD.
THE STAR
Playing just the first half, Rutter was 7-of-8 passing for 178 yards and two TDs while running for 53 yards and another score for the Wildcats, who ran their winning streak to six and clinched at least a piece of their second straight Upstate Eight Valley title.
BY THE NUMBERS
Dean ran for 95 yards and two TDs on six carries in the first half for Neuqua Valley. Junior running back Parrish Benton ran for 112 yards on 24 carries for West Chicago (0-8, 0-5).
QUOTABLE
“We definitely did come out testing the waters. But I think (in the) second quarter, we realized that we were in a ballgame and we had to come out (hard). We played very good on all sides of the ball.” — Rutter
