Tigers' Kanon and "D" puts an end to defending SPC West Champion Minooka's streak

On Friday night, the defending Southwest Prairie Conference West champion Minooka Indians hosted the Plainfield North Tigers in the awesome, newly-renovated Central Stadium Field.

The Indians entered the game with an 11-game regular-season winning streak. The Indians also entered the game averaging 45.5 points-per-game after their first two victories of the season.

After unleashing "The Tiger Kanon", NIU-bound Plainfield North placekicker, Kanon Woodill, and the senior Danny Nuccio-led Tigers defense, the Indians winning-streak was over.

With the 19-9 Plainfield North (2-1, 1-1) victory, the Indians (2-1, 1-1) are now averaging 33.3 points-per game.

Woodill nailed field goals from 27, 34, 45, and 35 yards away and missed from 34 and 53-yards out. The 34-yard miss was a miss by the official, as the ball went inside the right upright.

"We worked hard all week in practice," Nuccio said. "We knew what they were running and totally stuffed their offense. They aren't averaging 45.5 points per game anymore. What an amazing game for Kanon with the four field goals and four kickoffs into the end zone. We really wanted to beat the defending SPC West champs and end their winning streak."

The Tigers multi-sport star, senior Carlos Conley, got the North party started on the opening kickoff.

He took it 93 yards to the house and after Woodill's only PAT of the game, the Tigers led 7-0.

"The kickoff took a real high hop on me and it caused a delay before I was able to catch it," Conley said. "This allowed my kickoff team to set up and I was able to take it all the way for a touchdown."

Woodill missed from 34 yards, even though he didn't, and Minooka's place kicker deluxe, Mason Spivey, also missed from 25-yards in the first quarter. Spivey's miss looked good as well but...

In the second quarter, Spivey and Woodill traded field goals. Spivey hit from 24-yards out and Woodill connected from 27-yards and the Tigers led 10-3 at halftime.

With 9:24 in the third quarter with Minooka driving, Conley jumped an Indians route at the Tigers eight-yard line and again took it to the house 92 yards, for an apparent pick-six.

Hold on.

A holding penalty denied him of the pick-six and the Tigers took over at their own 48-yard line. But the interception led to Woodill's second field goal of the game — this time from 34-yards, that would make it 13-3 with 4:14 left in the third quarter.

"I would have liked the pick-6 but we got the W," Conley said. "After they embarrassed us last year, this was really rewarding for us. We focused all week on our goals and we achieved them."

In the fourth quarter Woodill hit from 45-yards out, which would have been good from 60, to make it 16-3 with 9:30 left in the game.

With 4:52 remaining The Tiger Kanon nailed his fourth field goal of the game, this time from 35 yards out for a 19-3 Tigers lead.

Entering the game as the area's leading rusher, Plainfield North's 5-foot-6, 149-pound dynamo Jared Gumila

was doing his thing running the football.

For the third consecutive game, Gumila hit the century mark, rushing the football for 100 yards on 26 carries.

Minooka quarterback Josh Davis (6-for-14, 96 yards,TD, INT) connected with his favorite receiver Trevor Hudak (3 catches, 60 yards, TD), from 10-yards out for six, to pull the Indians within 19-9 with 2:52 remaining in the game. The Indians 2-point play was stopped.

The Indians leading rusher, senior Hunter Ryan, rushed for 83 yards on 19 carries and caught two passes for 25 yards. Davis was totally stymied by the Tigers defense, rushing for minus 10 yards on 13 carries.

"We talked about Hudak as a threat on kickoff returns," Woodill said. "We wanted to avoid the left side of the field on kickoffs to Hudak. That's where they set up. Either kick it to the right side or kick it into the end zone. I was able to kick four of my kickoffs into the end zone. We talked all week about beating the defending champ and ending their winning streak. We were able to do that. We all felt we should have beat Oswego. But by bouncing back tonight certainly made us feel better."

"All three phases of our team, played extremely well. Our special teams, not just Kanon, played exceptionally well," Plainfield North coach Anthony Imbordino said. "I am extremely proud of the way we played tonight. Kanon's four field goals and also his four kick-offs into the end zone negated Hudak. Carlos should have had two touchdowns tonight. The 93-yard kickoff return to start the game and the pick-six, that was called back for holding. Our defense was outstanding and Jared picked up 100 yards rushing on 26 carries before cramping up again. We just have to keep him under 26 carries next week."