Oct. 31--Winning the battle in the trenches made for a fairly comfortable Friday night for Hinsdale South.
The Hornets' offensive line manhandled Thornton's defensive front, and a swarming defense kept the Wildcats' potent offense off-balance in a 34-23 Class 6A first-round playoff win in Harvey.
Hinsdale South running back Marcus Curry was the main beneficiary of the offensive line's prowess. He rushed for 228 yards and four touchdowns on 30 attempts.
"It was a great team effort, but I love my hogs up front," Curry said. "This was probably the best week of practice we've had all year. The coaches told us to just have fun and play like it was our last game."
The Hornets (7-3) took control with three straight touchdowns in the late second and early third quarters, turning an early 7-3 deficit into a 24-7 lead. Curry capped all three drives with short scoring runs. The third came three plays after Thornton fumbled a reception at the Wildcats' 18 on the fourth play of the second half.
Thornton (8-2) showed signs of life after Curry's third score, as its 14-play drive resulted in Tionte McDaniel's 3-yard scoring run. But Hinsdale South answered with its own 14-play drive, and Curry's 7-yard run put the Hornets up 31-15.
The Hornets forced three turnovers, adding to the fumble recovery with two interceptions. The final takeaway, a Robert Hall pick of Thornton quarterback Sam Taylor III, led to a 22-yard Marko Ristic field goal and a 34-15, three-score lead.
"Coach (Mike Barry) always talks about how important turnovers are and that was the case tonight," Hall said. "The takeaways kept them from scoring a couple times and got our offense the ball back."
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
Player of the game: Marcus Curry, Hinsdale South, 30 carries, 228 yards, 4 TDs.
Key performers: Hinsdale South -- Sean McCormack, 9-for-16 passing, 109 yards. Thornton -- Tionte McDaniel, TD run, 91-yard kickoff return TD.
