Schools
Football: Andrew Wins Conference by Thwarting Thornton
Andrew 17, Thornton 10: Thunderbolts clinch a playoff berth and win a share of the SouthWest Suburban Red conference championship.
Breaking It Down: scored all its points in the second quarter Friday night, and the host Thunderbolts held off Thornton 17-10 in the battle for the SouthWest Suburban Conference championship.
Thornton’s Aaron Zambrano kicked a 32-yard field goal for a 3-0 Wildcat lead and the only points of the first quarter. Andrew answered repeatedly in the second quarter. Quarterback Tyler Hook found wide receiver Joe Sanfilippo for a 62-yard gain, and, a few plays later, Hook found fullback Nicolas Reyes in the back of the end zone on a perfectly thrown ball for a 13-yard touchdown.
Andrew scored its second TD on Jarvis Franklin’s burst from scrimmage and added a field goal as time expired to take a 17-3 lead into halftime.
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Both teams went scoreless in third quarter, but Thornton made it a game after getting an interception from defensive back Jason Towns. The Wildcats drove 93 yards for a score, cutting the lead to seven. But the Andrew defense made the lead hold up, giving the Thunderbolts a share of the conference championship with Lincoln-Way West.
Patch’s MVP: Senior wide receiver Joe Sanfilippo provided the big plays for the Andrew offense, catching five passes for 161 yards and always seeming to make a play when Andrew needed it most.
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Andrew Stat Pack: Quarterback Tyler Hook was 8-for-18 passing for 196 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Running back Jarvis Franklin rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown on 30 carries. Mike Elhers was 2-for-2 on point-after kicks and added a 19-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter.
Thornton Stat Pack: Quarterback Jowahn Brown threw for 127 yards, going 16-for-26. Running back Jamal Towns scored the lone touchdown for Thornton, rushing for 97 yards on 23 carries. Linebacker Dominic Bryant registered two sacks for the Wildcats.
Quotable I: Andew coach Jim Malec on Joe Sanfilippo: “Joe always comes through with big plays in the passing game. He did a great job for us tonight.”
Quotable II: Malec on winning conference in his first year as head coach: “Now I can go celebrate with my boys.”
Team Records: Andrew wins the SouthWest Suburban Red Conference with a 6-1 mark (6-3 overall). Thornton falls to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in conference.
What’s Next: With six wins, both teams await their first-round playoff matchup.