Huskies triumph over top-seeded York

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Friday, Nov. 5, 2010
11:59 PM

By Blake Baumgartner
YourSeason.com

Throughout the last few weeks of the regular season and in last weeks first-round triumph over Marist, Naperville Norths defense has done a nice job of setting the tone.

Playing a No. 1 seed in the postseason for the second consecutive year, the defense continued to not miss a beat in the Huskies 29-10 upset of York in a Class 8A second-round game Friday in Naperville.

Behind a four-turnover night turned in by its defense, the Huskies outscored the Dukes 20-0 in the second half to pull away and earn its first state quarterfinal appearance since 2007.

Earning its first victory over a No. 1 seed since its 36-33 upset of Naperville Central on Nov. 11, 2000, Naperville North (8-3) will welcome fourth-seeded Homewood-Flossmoor to Naperville next weekend.

The Huskies held Yorks 1,500-yard rusher, Ryan Kent, to 60 yards on 18 carries while senior linebacker Nick Lifka and cornerback Brandon Sharie each pulled in interceptions.

Trailing 10-9 early in the third quarter, Lifkas interception of Dukes QB Jim Nudera seemed to start to turn the tide in the Huskies favor.

I think it was just a huge change of momentum for the entire team, Lifka said. It really got the offense going and I feel like it picked up the entire momentum of the team.

Seven plays later, thanks to a Ron Coluzzi 20-yard field goal, the Huskies would reclaim the lead at 12-10 and never trail again.

While Coluzzi contributed three field goals, Antonio Owens had both a rushing TD and a touchdown reception for North, as the defense kept setting up the offense in good field position.

Ken Boesenberg scored the only TD for York (9-2) with a 15-yard score late in the first quarter.

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