by Roy Taylor, Sun Correspondent

From the sideline, Bolingbrook coach John Ivlow yelled “just like in practice, defense!” His Raiders were leading Thornridge 14-0 in the fourth quarter, and the visiting Falcons threatened to narrow the gap as they faced first-and-goal from the Bolingbrook one-yard line.

True to their coach’s words, the Raiders (3-3, 3-1 SICA Gray) held Thornridge (3-3, 1-3) to negative one yard on four attempts, sealing their 14-0 shutout win.

In their first five games, the Raiders averaged over 30 points per game and compiled a 2-3 overall record. Defense would play the most important role on this evening, however, which started out with a spitting rain and ended with a torrential downpour.

“The game was ugly, but that goal line stand was huge,” Ivlow said. “Because we had a couple guys dinged up, we had two separate offenses ready to play tonight, so that slowed us down a little bit.” “And the weather certainly didn’t help.”

While it may have been ugly, Bolingbrook assistant coach Matt Monken reminded his team that they won their first game under the lights at their new stadium. “It may have taken three tries, but we got it done tonight,” he said.

Quarterback Javon Stewart paced the Bolingbrook attack with 118 yards rushing on 17 attempts. He also threw for 54 yards and a touchdown, completing six of 10 passes. As field conditions deteriorated, running back Mike Logan seemed to be one of the only players with footing when he ripped off a 47-yard run on a sweep in the fourth quarter.

Although the weather didn’t significantly deteriorate until after halftime, the game remained locked in a scoreless tie until late in the second quarter. At the intermission, the teams had combined to gain only 185 total yards. By the end of the contest in a driving rain, players found it hard to catch or hold on to the ball. Bolingbrook fumbled four times, losing one, and Thornridge lost one.

In a game such as this, ball awareness played an important role in Bolingbrook’s victory. Although they fumbled four times, the Raiders recovered three, led by 6’8”, 340 pound offensive lineman Ohene Wiafe-Ababio, who alertly recovered two.

Starting with Thornridge’s opening drive, the teams combined to punt on their first seven possessions. Then with 2:17 remaining in the second quarter, Thornridge quarterback Robert Guillory lost his grip on the ball, which was covered up by Bolingbrook’s Deante’ Jenkins at the Falcons’ 36. After six plays, the Raiders faced fourth-and-three at their opponent’s 16, and it looked as if the game might remain scoreless at the half.

Instead of attempting a 35-yard field goal in the brutal conditions, Stewart dropped back to throw long, and hit Dominique Collins on a 16-yard score over the middle with ten seconds remaining. Although Stewart’s pass for an attempted two-point conversion was right on the mark, due to the rain it slipped through the hands of wide receiver Sean Hughes, resulting in a 6-0 Raider lead at halftime.

The third quarter opened with the rain and wind intensifying, but the weather only seemed to increase Bolingbrook’s tempo. On their first possession of the second half, the Raiders drove 80 yards on nine plays for a touchdown. The drive was capped off on a one-yard scoring plunge by running back Anthony Morrison.

While Morrison may have sealed the scoring drive, it was Stewart that brought his team into that position. During the series, the quarterback rushed for 70 yards on five attempts, including a 33-yard gain on second-and-two from his own 33. On the run, he snaked his way up the middle, then broke outside, just being tackled before taking it in himself from the Falcon 33.

On his following three runs, Stewart ran draws up the middle to pick up an additional 24 yards. It was the first time on the night Bolingbrook attacked the middle of the Falcon defense with their quarterback.

“We held off on the veer option in the first half, because [the Falcons] were bringing a lot of heat up the middle,” Ivlow said. “It was a guessing game, but we guessed correctly a lot tonight.” “Stewart did a great job for us tonight,” the coach added.

Two possessions after Morrison’s score, Bolingbrook running back Dominique Collins fumbled, and the Falcons recovered at the Raider 40. This turnover led to a consistent drive by the Thornridge running game, but they were ultimately stopped at the one on the goal-line stand.

Bolingbrook’s staff praised its players for the victory, but acknowledged the road ahead is tough. “We’re not playing great football right now,” Ivlow said. “And to beat the three teams we have coming up (Bradley, Stagg, Andrew) we’re going to have to play great football.”