NORMAL – With 2:18 left in their IHSA Class 6A opening round playoff game against Crete-Monee, and Normal West trailing by 7, Wildcats senior quarterback Tyler Marcordes and his offense had to know they were no longer battling just their visitors, but also the clock as well. Each tick off the clock tried to bring an end to their postseason hopes staying alive.
Starting at their own 41 yard line, Marcordes was able to use a draw play and two passes — to junior receivers Braxton Moore and Cory Ortiz – to get the Wildcats down inside the Crete-Monee 10 yard line before incomplete passing and a tough Warriors defense put an end to the Wildcats’ season, as Crete-Monee defeated Normal West, 35-28.
Normal West (7-3), seeded third, found themselves with the ball on Crete-Monee’s 21 yard line after a Warriors punt, and scored one play later on a run by Ortiz with 10:20 on the clock in the first quarter. The point after by senior kicker Matthew Barnet gave the Wildcats a fast 7-0 lead.
West increased that lead to 14-0, capitalizing on a Warriors fumble at their own 7 yard line on the first play after kickoff, with 3:55 left in the first quarter. One play later, Marcordes ran into the end zone for a score, followed by Barnet’s extra point.
Crete-Monee (7-3), seeded sixth, scored for the first time on their very next possession, marching 80 yards on seven plays, with senior running back Julius Spicer going in for a 25-yard touchdown with 1:47 left in the quarter. West owned a 14-6 lead going into the second quarter, after the missed extra point by Warriors senior kicker Jack Mykytiuk.
A 33-yard touchdown pass from Crete-Monee senior quarterback Jaylan Bailey to senior receiver Lexus Jackson with 6:24 left in the second quarter, cut West’s lead to 14-12. Bailey ran past Wildcats defenders into the end zone on the Warriors’ 2-point conversion try, tying the game at 14-all.
Marcordes sprinted 65 yards to get West’s next score, gaining blockers along the way, scoring for West with 3:52 left in the quarter. Smith’s next extra point put Normal West up, 21-14.
Bailey would connect with Jackson again before the first half ended, this time from 27 yards out for the Warriors next score, with 1.3 seconds left until halftime. The score capped a 7-play, 44 yard drive, followed up by Mykytiuk’s extra point, tying the game at 21-all.
A 38-yard touchdown pass by Jackson to senior receiver LaQuon Treadwell with 7:22 in the third quarter gave the Warriors a 28-21 lead, following Mykytiuk’s extra point.
West tied the game at 28-all on a 3-yard pass from Marcordes to senior running back Eric Sipes, with 57 seconds left in the third quarter, topped off by Smith’s extra point. Sipes’ score concluded the Wildcats’ 13-play, 74-yard drive to get the score.
Crete-Monee’s decisive score came at the end of a 9-yard pass from Bailey to Spicer, with 2:17 left in the contest. Mykytiuk’s extra point gave fans what was to be the final outcome.
Marcordes was 9-for-19 passing for 88 yards and one interception for the Wildcats. His leading target was Sipes, who caught four passes for 30 yards. Marcordes led team rushers with 26 carries for 147 yards.
Bailey was 23-for-34 passing for 344 and two interceptions. His leading receiver was Treadwell, who caught 10 passes for 186 yards. Spicer led the Warriors’ rushing corps with 17 carries for 147 yards.
“No playoff game is ever easy,” Wildcats head coach Darren Hess said afterward. “We could have laid down, but our kids fought back and responded, so, I’m really proud of that.
Senior defensive backs Treyvon Hawkins and Kavontae Grismore each snared an interception for West in the final quarter, but neither of those turned into scoring opportunities.
“I thought we made some great adjustments because of the two interceptions we made in the third quarter,” Hess reminded. “That gave us opportunities to take advantage of those situations, but, unfortunately, we weren’t able to do that.
“We’ll learn from this,” Hess concluded. “Our program will get better because we’re going to build off of our momentum and the great effort that our seniors put forth, and we’ll move on.” Saturday’s game was the last one for 16 seniors on the Wildcats roster.