Owen Yorke scored four touchdowns and Amare Williams added another as Wheaton Warrenville South defeated Glenbard North 35-28 to earn a key DuKane Conference victory in its home opener at Red Grange Field on Friday in Wheaton.

Yorke, a senior running back for the Tigers (3-2, 2-1), ran 23 times for 204 yards and 3 scores on the ground.

Following a 56-yard Zachariah Morris touchdown catch from quarterback Kyle Melody for the Panthers, Yorke got the WW South offense started with a 36-yard first quarter touchdown toss of his own to senior wide receiver Jacob MacHoll to tie the game 7-7.

“We wanted to try to put some points on the board early, so we were like, ‘All right, let’s run it’,” said Yorke, reflecting on his first varsity pass attempt.

“We knew that Owen is a playmaker. And so we wanted to put the ball in his hands and trust that he’s going to make a play,” said Tigers coach Sean Norris. “That’s something he’s been doing in practice. And he’s been itching to do it in the game.”

Practice also paid off for Williams, a senior linebacker for WW South. He snatched a Panthers pass out of the air and took it the distance, bringing the home crowd to their feet and giving the Tigers their first lead of the night at 14-7.

“We’ve been practicing [that double slant] all week, standing in that second slant window,” said Williams. “And then I see the quarterback’s eyes go to the second slant, so I just look at it, catch it, and I’m off to the races.”

It was his first pick-six at the varsity level.

“It’s just so special,” added Williams. “I’m just so proud that I was able to put up points for our defense and really get us back and get the momentum into our favor.”

Later on in the second quarter, Tigers junior tight end Jacob Bellows caught a long fourth down pass attempt to set up a 30-yard touchdown run by Yorke to make it 21-7 Tigers.

Yorke credited the offensive line for helping him establish the run.

“A lot of preparation goes into it,” said Yorke. “There’s been so much movement with it over the last six months … the final solidified group has finally come together and I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

The Panthers (3-2, 1-2) struck back as senior defensive back William Cook Lesley intercepted a Tiger pass and Glenbard North standout running back Donato Gatses rumbled 40 yards to take it down the WW South 2-yard line.

He punched it in a few plays later on a direct snap carry to make it 21-14 Tigers with 1:32 remaining in the opening half.

Yorke and Gatses exchanged long runs down the field as the teams traded scores after the intermission. Yorke added a 33-yard score in the fourth, while Melody and Morris both finished off scoring drives for the Panthers.

However, the WW South defense stood tall and got a stop late when they needed it most as Williams deflected a Melody pass on a crucial fourth down with 2:49 to play.

“Those guys rose to the occasion,” said Norris of his defense. “That’s what you’ve got to do to be a good football team.”

With their first home win of the season secured, the Tigers will hunt down their second when Wheaton North visits next week.

“Our players, and the whole town comes out and embraces that. And it’s a unique environment,” said Norris. “The relationships between the players makes it fun and our players love it and they embrace it and the North Siders do too.”