by Roy Taylor, Daily Herald Correspondent

In the first half of West Chicago’s opening-night visit to Plainfield Central, by all appearances it seemed that the home team was completely in control of the football game.

Central held a 7-0 lead at the intermission and had dominated most aspects of the defensive struggle to that point. In reality the game was playing right into West Chicago coach Bob Stone’s hands.

At halftime Stone and his staff devised a play that had not yet been practiced, and it they used it for a 42-yard touchdown pass in the third quarter. The scoring play broke a 7-7 tie, and West Chicago defeated host Plainfield Central 26-7.

“Coach (Pete) Martino drew up the play at halftime,” Stone said. “Central’s defense was so concerned with the screens we were running in the first half that we showed block, went out for the pass instead and scored.”

Both teams traded punts in the opening period until penalties forced West Chicago to punt from deep in its own end zone. Central’s Fred Jordan returned the punt 32 yards, leading to two Central first downs and a 1-yard rushing touchdown by Curtis Donald.

Trailing 7-0, West Chicago could not score in the second quarter, with its possessions ending in two punts and two turnovers on downs. They were penalized seven times for 75 yards during the period and could not convert two opportunities inside Central’s 30-yard line into points.

“If Plainfield wouldn’t have declined two of them, we would’ve had over 100 yards in penalties in the first half, and you can’t do that,” Stone said.

The heroes of West Chicago’s second-half resurgence were quarterback Chris Wille and wide receiver Chris O’Connor. Wille shook off a difficult first half and turned in a perfect showing the remainder of the game, completing 6 of 6 attempts for 207 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Two of the scoring passes, including the play devised at halftime, were thrown to O’Connor. O’Connor finished the game with 104 total yards and 3 touchdowns.

Wille attributed the second-half success to his offensive line.

“They got a real good lecture at halftime, then came out and made all their blocks, leading to our success,” he said.

O’Connor may be a secret weapon for the Wildcats, sitting out his sophomore and junior seasons, then returning this year.

“Coach Martino is also my dean, and he told me if I kept getting in trouble, I’d have to play football. And here I am,” he said.

A disappointed Plainfield Central coach John Jackson attributed his team’s second-half collapse to a combination of nerves and lack of experience.

“I have 15 new starters this year and only one returnee on the offensive line. But we’re going to work hard and continue to get better,” he said.