Gage Range’s 3 interceptions help key Yorkville’s win over Oswego, fifth shutout of the season

OSWEGO – At 5-foot-8 and 150 pounds, Gage Range is the littlest member of a Yorkville defense known for its big, bad linemen.

He played like a giant Friday.

Yorkville’s junior defensive back intercepted passes on three consecutive second-half Oswego drives, and all three led to Foxes’ points.

It allowed visiting Yorkville to pull away from a scoreless halftime tie for a 17-0 win over Oswego in the regular season finale between Southwest Prairie West rivals.

Range was as surprised as anybody at his opportunistic plays. He had no interceptions his first two years of high school, but came in with two interceptions this season.

“One against Romeoville very early in the game, the other one I don’t remember,” Range said. “It’s so good. First one felt great. Second one felt even better. Third one, I’m like ‘what’s the problem.’ It was crazy.”

Yorkville (8-1, 4-1), its defense turning in its second consecutive shutout and fifth of the season, is heading to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive time with eight wins in the regular season for the first time since 1999. Andrew Zook and Amani Kortie had sacks, and Range did his part on the back line.

“Our front seven is the best you can get, a lot of teams like to pass against us, we shut them down,” Range said. “Stop the run, stop the pass, shutout every single game.”

Yorkville’s offense, meanwhile, rode hard-running Gio Zeman to two touchdowns in the second half. Zeman, who rushed for 147 of his 178 yards after halftime on 25 total carries, broke off a 30-yard TD run with 1:36 left in the third quarter for a 7-0 lead. Then he tacked on a 14-yard TD run with 4:40 left to make it 14-0.

“Second half we started to pull things together,” Zeman said. “I just felt like I was reading my blocks, [Andrew] Laurich was doing a good job getting at least two guys down and I was just reading his blocks. They were making it easy for me.”

Laurich had a part in a special-teams play that provided a springboard to Zeman’s first score, and was the turning point in the scoreless game.

With Yorkville lining up to punt from its 27 late in the third quarter, Laurich saw an opening on Oswego’s side. After a Yorkville timeout, the Foxes faked the punt, and Blake Kersting broke free for a 20-yard gain.

“We originally didn’t have the [fake punt] called and then Laurich the snapper actually saw it wide open,” Kersting said. “We called timeout to think about it and we were like if they show us the same look we’re going to run it. I just ran right through the open gap. Big play.”

“I think Blake’s not giving himself enough credit,” Yorkville coach Dan McGuire said. “He’s the one that made that decision. We called a timeout because we only had 10 guys on the field. We saw how they were lined up, it was all Blake, it was his decision. We give him the option that if he sees it to run a fake.”

Oswego senior quarterback Cruz Ibarra was 20-for-34 passing for 189 yards, 111 of that total coming in the first half. The Panthers (3-6, 1-4) successfully moved the ball on Yorkville’s defense with short passes, but drives stalled. A low snap prevented a 39-yard field goal attempt on the Panthers’ opening drive of the game, and a 27-yard field goal attempt late in the first half hooked just wide. Oswego blocked a Yorkville 42-yard field attempt on the last play of the half.

“I thought the guys competed all night, back and forth in a field position game. Just stalled on offense in numerous occasions,” Oswego coach Brian Cooney said. “Pass game was there, I thought Cruz played one heck of a game, give credit to the line holding their weight, coaches did a good job of taking what was there. That’s what happens when you face a great defense. They’re going to throttle down when it gets into that zone. But they fought.”

Michigan recruit Deakon Tonielli had five catches for 48 yards for Oswego, which will not be going to the playoffs for the first time since 2010 and first time under Cooney.

“Going into the offseason, just stay with it,” Cooney said. “This is uncharacteristic of Panther football. There is no way around it but hard work. That’s what the offseason will be about.”

Hudson Fiene added a field goal in the final minutes for Yorkville, which next gets ready for the Class 7A playoffs and a likely first-round home playoff game.

“Just fun to be apart of,” McGuire said. “I find myself at times just watching and having the best seat in the house. We just have outstanding kids. They’re winners and always prepared. I’m lucky to be able to coach them.”