The image of Joliet Central weeping tears of joy and celebrating victory for the first time in five years last fall is forever etched in the minds of all Steelmen who witnessed it. That includes the team on the other side of that victory, the Plainfield Central Wildcats.

The Wildcats had the undesirable honor of being the team that lost to Central in 2024. They wound up going 0-9 that season.

Entering Friday night, both teams had victories this season, but the Steelmen were looking for a homecoming win and their first multi-win season since 2018. Plainfield Central, on the other hand, had vengeance on the agenda.

Check that off the list.

The Wildcat offense scored a trio of touchdowns in the second quarter while the defense stifled Joliet Central at the line all night. It added up to a 35-10 Plainfield Central victory, their second win of the year as they played spoilers on the Steelmen’s special night.

Plainfield Central (2-3) managed to snap their losing skid in week one with a 21-18 victory over Waukegan, but it had been rough sledding since. The Wildcats had dropped three straight contests to Metea Valley, Romeoville, and Bolingbrook by a combined score of 127-23.

They got back in the win column Friday, though, and got back at Joliet Central for last year’s 37-17 result at Plainfield Central.

“Our guys work really hard,” coach Robby Carriger said. “We talk all the time about what we could be if we get out of our own way. Obviously, your scores and record are what they are, but we were able to get out of our own way tonight, and we were able to go.”

The first quarter looked like it would be a defensive struggle. There were more combined punts (three) than first downs (one) in the opening period as things were scoreless.

The Wildcats didn’t need much of the second quarter to change that. The first play of the next period saw quarterback Tommy Morrisette take the ball around the left side for a 39-yard TD run. 11 seconds in, and it was 7-0 Wildcats.

After a short three-and-out by the Steelmen, the Wildcats drove down the field with Donnie Major ending the possession with a one-yard TD plunge. That made it 14-0 with five minutes left in the half.

The Wildcats managed another TD before halftime as John Azille ran it in from five yards out.

The Steelmen finally got on the board when the Wildcats attempted to punt, but the snap sailed out of the end zone for a safety. Plainfield Central eventually managed to find the end zone again on a one-yard dive by running back Kenyon Mollison to extend the lead to 28-2 with 2:55 left in the third.

Azille picked up his second TD of the night early in the final quarter with a 10-yard run to make it 35-2.

Avry Shell led the defensive effort with three sacks and a forced fumble for Plainfield Central. The Wildcats finished with five sacks, two forced fumbles, and an interception (by Bryson Shoemaker). Morrisette led the offense with 108 rushing yards and 81 passing. Mollison (115 total yards) and Azille (62) had nice nights as well.

“It (feels special),” Morrisette said. “I really tried changing the narrative here. 0-9 last year it wasn’t a good sight. Everyone just labeled us as a bad team. I’m glad we started the season off with a win, and we kept it rolling with a win this week.”

Credit Joliet Central (1-4) for not surrendering. The offense refused to be shut out as they drove 80 yards in the fourth quarter. That culminated in a two-yard scoring run by Matthews, and the successful two-point conversion run by Tristen Sellers made it 35-10. However, only 2:01 remained in the game by that point.

The Steelmen were led by the efforts of Evan Patton, who had a pair of sacks and a forced fumble on defense.

“We just have to focus on what we’re good at and what we need to improve at to be better at things,” coach Tom Hart said. “Our defense started strong, and our offense was trying to find a rhythm. We’ve got to figure out how to do that earlier and quicker, but that’s young player problems. We’re learning and growing.”