Cameron Grays’ critical fourth-down stop helps Oswego hold on at Plainfield North

Cole Pradel leads two long scoring drives in Panthers’ 20-10 win

Oswego's Anthony Perez celebrates a big defensive stop during football game between Oswego at Plainfield North.  March 26.  Gary E Duncan Sr for Shaw Local.

PLAINFIELD – Cameron Grays is used to making big plays, just not in this particular uniform.

Grays, a junior defensive back, was an all-conference cornerback last season as a sophomore at DeKalb. He moved to Oswego before the start of this school year when his dad, Christopher, took the principal’s job at Oswego High School.

Cameron Grays introduced himself in a big way Friday night.

He made a critical stop on Plainfield North’s Danny Nuccio just shy of the goal line on fourth-and-goal with Oswego nursing a four-point fourth-quarter lead in Plainfield.

The Panthers scored an insurance touchdown on their ensuing 99-yard drive and held on for a hard-fought 20-10 win in the Southwest Prairie Conference West opener.

On fourth down and goal from the three Plainfield North called Nuccio’s number in a heavy formation, with the North Central College commit sweeping around the left end. Plainfield’s home crowd initially thought Nuccio scored, but Grays had other ideas.

“We’ve been practicing that a lot the whole week – they do a lot of pulling out with No. 33 [Nuccio]. I knew it was fourth down, I had to make a big play,” Grays said. “I saw him go outside, stopped him short before he got there. He beat me to the sideline but I got the push. Big-time play in a big-time moment.”

Plainfield North (1-1, 0-1) had pulled within 14-10 of Oswego (2-0, 1-0) on Kanon Woodill’s 35-yard field goal with 2:13 left in the third quarter. The Tigers promptly got the ball back two plays later when Jake Wilson recovered a fumble at the Oswego 15.

They couldn’t cash in on a first-and-goal from the 5 in the first minute of the fourth quarter – although Plainfield North coach Anthony Imbordino thought otherwise.

“I think the ball touched the pylon,” Imbordino said. “I thought it was a touchdown. I think they ruled that his knee touched the ground first. That would be the only explanation for the call. It is what it is, our kids played hard.”

Oswego followed with a 13-play, 99-yard drive, capped by quarterback Cole Pradel’s 1-yard TD run with 4:03 left.

Pradel, who left the game for a handful of plays in the first quarter when his knee buckled, returned to lead two length-of-the-field touchdown drives.

Jacob Sergen’s 23-yard TD run with 2:57 left in the first half was the capper to a 12-play, 98-yard march for a 14-7 halftime lead. Earlier, Pradel had a 1-yard TD run and the ensuing PAT for an 8-7 lead on the same drive he was hurt in.

“We wanted to make a statement this week,” Pradel said. “Our defense got a shutout last week and we wanted people to be talking about our offense, too. I think after those two long drives they’ll be talking about our offense a little bit, too.”

Plainfield North, wearing stickers on its helmets with the initials of former teammate Jaden Sherman – killed in a car crash last summer – made an early statement.

The Tigers forced a three-and-out on the game’s first possession, then scored on theirs with Adam Smith’s 17-yard TD pass to Dylan Rasmason. Plainfield North recovered the ensuing onside kick but couldn’t convert it into points.

Junior Jared Gumila ran for 144 yards on 26 carries for the Tigers.

“Our kids played hard, they were ready to play,” Imbordino said. “But Oswego is well-coached, too, and they made fewer mistakes than we did.”

Grays ran for 63 yards on 10 carries, part of Oswego’s backfield by committee. It hasn’t taken him long to make an impression with Oswego coach Brian Cooney.

“Phenomenal athlete, junior, he can absolutely scoot,” Cooney said. “He’s still learning our system on offense and defense, but when he has that opportunity to flash that raw athletic talent it’s easy to see. That was a close play there on the fourth down, I think Cam would even tell you he might have underestimated [Nuccio’s] speed. The kid turned the corner, Cam closed on it and was able to push him out of bounds.”

It was the latest close call in the Oswego-Plainfield North series, which Grays is glad to be a part of in this most unusual school year and season – even more so for a newcomer to the area.

“It’s been hectic coming in here,” Grays said. “We wanted a full season, but this is what we have. Coming from a 7A school, they’re bigger guys here, faster and strong. It’s not going to be easy with my size, but I had to make a play there.”