NORMAL – Usually, battling for second place is not considered a big event. But with Normal Community High School having already taken the Big 12 Championship title, and one game left to decide who would come in second, Normal West and Champaign Centennial were preparing to scrape as though the title was still on the line. And yet, while the title had been decided, finishing second took on added significance for the teams in hopes of receiving a high seed when Illinois High School Association tournament pairings were to be announced.

Four first quarter touchdowns propelled Normal West to a 49-21 victory over Champaign Centennial, allowing them to make the second place claim and hoping to find themselves in a good position when the pairings were finalized.

Normal West (7-2, 5-1 Big 12) turned the first quarter of the contest into an all-star affair of sorts, with quarterbacks Arion Worthman and Mitch Fairfield rotating behind center. Normal West scored four times in the opening period, beginning with Worthman, a senior, getting the Wildcats on the board with a 52-yard touchdown run, putting West up, 7-0, at the 11:04 mark, followed by a point-after by junior kicker Tim O’Brien. Senior Worthman’s effort topped a 3 play, 65-yard drive.

A West interception by junior linebacker Connor Kennedy of Centennial senior quarterback Michael Risinger’s pass led to West’s next score at 5:59 in the quarter. Three plays later, Worthman connected with junior tight end Mace Julian on a 6-yard score, capping a 65 yard drive for a touchdown, putting West up, 14-0, after O’Brien’s extra point.

Champaign’s special teams unit mishandled the ensuing kickoff and West’s defense recovered it at the Chargers’ 37 yard line. Five plays later, Worthman connected with junior receiver Dajour Forrest on a 6-yard touchdown pass, followed by O’Brien’s next extra point, putting West up, 21-0, at the 3:30 mark.

Kennedy rose to the occasion defensively for a second time during Centennial’s next possession, as the 5 foot-8, 170 linebacker had his second big play of the night. On Centennial’s 47 yard line, Kennedy intercepted Risinger’s pass attempt, and was tackled, putting West in control at their own 49. Four plays later, Fairfield, a junior, connected on a 12 yard pass to junior wide receiver Dante Ruffin. That gave West a 28-0 edge at 1:36 left in the quarter following O’Brien’s extra point.

Champaign Centennial (6-3, 4-2 Big 12) scored their lone points of the first half when Risinger connected with junior wide receiver Julian Hess on an 18 yard scoring pass, topping a 5 play, 52 yard drive. The successful point after by senior kicker C. J. Lyons cut West’s lead, 28-7, going into halftime.

Each team only scored once in the third quarter, with West taking the ball 97 yards in 12 plays finishing in a 4 yard touchdown run by Forrest, at 6:01, followed by another successful O’Brien extra point, pushing West in front, 35-7.

With 1:18 left in the quarter, Risinger connected with senior wide receiver Steven Lee on an 18 yard scoring pass, capping an 8-play, 71 yard drive, followed by Lyons’ next extra point, cutting West’s lead, 35-14.

A 63 yard scoring run at 10:25 of the fourth quarter gave Forrest his next touchdown of the night closing out a 6 play, 78 yard drive for the Wildcats, increasing their lead, 42-14.

Junior defensive back Dave Watson duplicated Forrest’s feat with one of his own, intercepting a Risinger pass and returning it 63 yards for a score, followed by O’Brien’s extra point. That put West up, 49-14 with five minutes left in the contest.

Risinger took matters into his own hands for Centennial’s last score of the night on an 11 yard run, followed by another Lyons extra point to close out the scoring.

Wildcats interim head coach Duane Thoennes said he reminded his players before the contest against the Chargers began that West held a large lead of a few touchdowns in a game against them a few years ago, only to see Champaign Centennial come from behind to win. “Our whole message to the kids tonight was ‘don’t let up because of the talent and the skill’ Centennial has.” Thoennes said West had a 28-0 lead then, too, and wound up losing, 31-28.

Thoennes said he hoped Normal West’s 7-2 record would be good enough for a home game in the first round of the Illinois High School Association playoffs’ opening round. “Playing conference opponents, you get a feel for what they do because you played them so many times. But preparing for a team from, say, the suburbs or somewhere outside the conference is a little different.”

“West got us down because we blew some coverages and didn’t get the job done offensively,” explained Champaign Centennial head coach Mike McDonnell. “Then, we got to where we adapted to them. West comes out and they have a lot of different things they throw at you. We had guys who were ready for some of it, but West threw some new stuff at us, and we didn’t adapt to it too well.”

Times For First Round Games Set: Second seed West’s Class 6A clash against seventh seed Springfield Southeast will be on Oct. 31 starting at 7p.m. Class 5A top seed University High will host eighth seed Morris at Hancock Stadium on Nov. 1 at 3p.m. In Class 7A, fifth seed Normal Community will host 12th seed Plainfield North in a Saturday 5p.m. contest. In Class 1A, eighth seed LeRoy will host ninth seed Arthur in a Saturday 1p.m. game. Fifth seed El Paso Gridley’s Class 2A clash at fourth seed Momence will begin Saturday at 2p.m. Eighth seed Bloomington Central Catholic will visit top seed Greenville Saturday for 1p.m. start.

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