After allowing Wheaton Warrenville South tailback Owen Yorke to rush for 285 yards and 5 touchdowns in a loss one week earlier, St. Charles North‘s defense went back to work.

Preparing to face Glenbard North senior standout running back Donato Gatses, the North Stars were up to the challenge, keeping Gatses out of the end zone during Friday night’s 31-20 DuKane Conference victory in St. Charles.

“We knew we were going to see the same type of thing,” senior middle linebacker Wyatt Brandt said of facing the Panthers’ workhorse ball carrier. “On Monday, we switched it up a little bit and had a little more contact.

“We went harder in practice, and I guess it translated to the game.”

Brandt finished with five tackles for loss, including 1½ sacks, supported by fellow linebackers Matthew Plumb and Aidan McClure, defensive linemen Declan Smith and Cooper Biggers, and defensive backs Reed Raczka and Daniel Escaro, as the North Stars (7-1, 5-1) limited Gatses to 128 yards rushing on 30 carries.

“Our defensive coordinator, Keith Snyder, did a fantastic job of regrouping, and the boys played a great, physical game,” North Stars coach Rob Pomazak said. “We took a hard look in the mirror and used the game (in the 33-7 loss to WW South) as data and feedback. There were some things that we had to improve on, and the kids took that seriously and got better at it.”

The North Stars grabbed an early 8-0 lead on JT Padron’s 26-yard touchdown pass to Braden Harms, completing a 7-play, 61-yard drive, and Christopher Akpede’s 2-point conversion run following an offside call on the Panthers.

The lead lasted all of 16 seconds, as Panthers senior Zechariah Morris returned the kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown. Donato Gatses’ 2-point run tied the score at 8-8.

Glenbard North (5-3, 3-3) took an 11-8 lead on Anthony Gibson’s 35-yard field goal and extended it to 18-8 moments later on William Cook Lesley’s 72-yard interception return for a touchdown.

The first of three Lucas Tenbrock field goals — a 21-yarder — cut the deficit to 18-11, and McClure’s interception near midfield set the stage for another Padron-to-Harms, 26-yard touchdown pass to tie the game at 18.

Tenbrock’s 28-yard field goal gave the North Stars a 21-18 halftime advantage.

The North Stars seized control early in the third quarter.

After Escaro’s fumble recovery on the opening kickoff, Carsen Durante (25 carries, 119 yards) scored on a 6-yard run to extend the lead to 28-18.

Tenbrock’s 26-yard field goal made it 31-18 with 3:19 left in the third quarter.

The North Stars’ 6-foot-6, 243-pound kicker put on a show late, delivering a 55-yard punt early in the fourth quarter before booming a free kick 80 yards into the end zone after Keaton Reinke took a deliberate safety in the final minute.

“There’s nobody who has worked harder at his craft,” Pomazak said of Tenbrock. “I told him today in class — he’s so focused and has worked so diligently that I truly believe he’s one of the best kickers in the country.

“Our long snapper, Luke Epstein, and holder, Michael Atkins, those guys put so much time into it — and obviously, Lucas does a great job. We’re very blessed.”

Panthers quarterback Kyle Melody finished 6 of 16 for 53 yards.

“Offensively, we couldn’t get anything going tonight,” said Panthers coach Ryan Wilkens. “We showed spurts here or there but there was no consistency.”

https://www.dailyherald.com/20251017/prep-football/after-allowing-wheaton-warrenville-south-tailback-owen-yorke-to-rush-for-285-yards-and-5-touchdowns/