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Schools

Central Wins Homecoming, Clinches At-Large Bid

Plainfield Central 33, Plainfield East 21: Tyler Erdman, Wildcats running game power offense after sluggish start.

Plainfield Central kept their game plan against Plainfield East as simple as possible: Run the ball, control the clock. 

The tactic worked as the Wildcats scored 19 unanswered points in a 33-21 homecoming win over Plainfield East. 

The Wildcats (5-2, 3-2) took an early 7-0 lead after Bengals (2-5, 2-3) QB Robert Zamora fumbled during a sack. The Wildcats made the most of the opportunity with a 1-yard TD by running back Tyler Erdman. 

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The Bengals responded after barely recovering a gutsy onside kick by the Wildcats. Zamora connected on a 55-yard screen pass to running back Shekeal Taylor to tie the game up at 7. Zamora threw a 20-yard TD pass to receiver Adrian Simbulan on the first play in the second quarter to put the Bengals up 14-7. 

The Wildcats continued with their running attack on the next drive, culminating in an 11-yard TD run by Gino Giarratano to tie the game back up at 14. 

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The Wildcats’ defense, late in the first half, forced the Bengals deep into their own zone and it led to a horrible punt that the Wildcats recovered at the 8-yard line. This led to an 8-yard TD pass from QB Tim Blake to Giarratano to give the Wildcats a 20-14 halftime lead. 

“I thought we started out flat on offense, but during halftime we made some adjustments," Wildcats coach John Jackson said.

The Wildcats continued with the ground attack in the second half. On their first drive, running back Tyler Erdman had 34 yards on five carries, including a two-yard TD, his second of the game. 

“I told him (Erdman) during halftime that you’re the horse that I’m gonna have to ride in the second half,” Jackson said. 

The Bengals closed the gap early in the fourth with a 20-yard TD pass to Myles Watters to make it a 26-21 game. 

The Wildcats responded with a long drive that featured nothing but running plays, eating up the clock as they forced their way down the field. Erdman, Jordan Ellingwood and Giarratano all had key plays during the drive that ended with a 1-yard QB sneak by Blake on fourth and goal to put the Wildcats up 12 again with just under three minutes to go. 

The Bengals made one last push, but Zamora was eventually picked off by linebacker Collin Rogers to ice the game. 

"We've gotta finish our drives, simple as that," Bengals coach Michael Romeli said. "We've been practicing that all year."

For the Bengals, this loss means playoff elimination. For the Wildcats, they have secured an at-large bid with five wins, but one more will give them a guaranteed playoff berth. For a school that has endured a few lean years recently, this is a welcome turn of events. 

The Wildcats have their home finale next Friday against Oswego and then their season finale at Romeoville. The Bengals play their home finale next Friday against Plainfield South and play at Oswego East on October 21.

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