Downers Grove North’s Will Vala (85) tries to break free from York’s Owen Chael (36) during the varsity football game between Downers Grove North and York on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Elmhurst.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Owen Lansu and Downers Grove North have looked the part of an elite team so far this season, yet it’s been hard to get a proper read.
Lansu, a junior quarterback and Minnesota recruit, needed to play just eight quarters over the Trojans’ first four games. Downers Grove North’s margin of victory the first five games? Try 208-14.
Friday provided the best evidence that the Trojans are the real deal.
Lansu threw for 246 yards and touchdowns in the final minute of the second and third quarters. Jake Gregorio ran for three TDs and was part of a hard-hitting defensive effort in Downers Grove North’s 35-14 win at York in the matchup of West Suburban Silver unbeatens.
“Tonight showed that we’re able to play to the level of our competition,” said Lansu, who was 13-for-24 passing. “If we play our best football we’re as good as anybody else. We can run this conference and we can beat anybody in the state.”
Gregorio, the leading tackler on Downers Grove North’s Class 7A runner-up last season, doesn’t disagree. He had just three carries Friday, but his three TD runs were a varsity career-high. His 5-yard TD run gave the Trojans the lead for good at 14-7 with 4:39 left in the second quarter.
“Feeling good. I feel like people underestimated us in this game, felt that we’re not the real deal,” Gregorio said. “We’re not the real deal yet, but we’re getting there, working towards it.”
The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Gregorio got his first two touches offensively down near the goal line. His third, with Downers Grove North (6-0, 4-0) facing a third-and-9 midway through the fourth quarter, he flashed his speed. Gregorio broke through the line and raced for a 55-yard TD and 35-7 lead.
“I don’t run the ball like that often. Usually I’m a five or six-yard guy,” Gregorio said. “When I saw that cutback, I thought I could go all the way. Not the quickest guy, just ran as fast as I could.”
York (5-1, 2-1) scored first, on the game’s opening drive, with a fortuitous bounce. Quarterback Bruno Massel on a fourth down run had the ball pop free, but it bounced right into the arms of receiver Quinlan Hughes and he took it for a 28-yard TD.
Downers Grove North answered right back with a 10-play, 65-yard drive capped by Gregorio’s 10-yard TD run, and the defense dug in from there.
The Trojans twice forced turnovers in the first half on fourth-down plays on their side of the field in the first, a forced fumble by Joe Edwards and an interception by Tavarez Edwards, and had three turnovers for the game.
York’s one-two running combo of Henry Duda and Massel didn’t break 100 yards between them, Massel knocked from the game with a big hit in the third quarter.
“First drive was a little sloppy, got those nerves out, but then we were hitting the guys and flying,” Gregorio said. “Key point this week was they have two running backs back there, we had to be quarterback accountable, get a couple good shots on them.”
Lansu’s 18-yard TD pass to Will Vala with 26 seconds left in the half sent Downers Grove North into halftime ahead 21-7.
He delivered the backbreaker on the final play of the third quarter.
Facing a third-and-19, Lansu hit Max Troha in stride down the left sideline for a 65-yard TD that sucked the life out of the home crowd.
“They told us originally that we didn’t need to run a play and we could take it to the fourth quarter, then they came back and said that we did need to run a play,” Lansu said. “We went up to the line, didn’t have a play called, my guy went deep, we hit them and we scored. Huge play for us.”
Downers Grove North coach Joe Horeni agreed that he found out a little more about his team Friday. They will again next Friday against unbeaten Lyons.
“We’ve played teams that we feel like we have done pretty well against, and we knew York was going to be a good test,” Horeni said. “Obviously next week we got another big one. Excited for the progress our kids made.”
York added a fourth-quarter TD on Adam Yue’s 8-yard TD pass to Jack Binbaum. York coach Don Gelsomino said Massel will be fine, as should his team.
“He’s OK. I pulled him a little early,” Gelsomino said. “That’s a good football team we played. Their D-line has a bunch of football players. Didn’t play quite as well as we wanted to. Proud of how we battled. It’s a good learning experience.”
Downers Grove North’s Jake Gregarie (34) runs during the varsity football game between Downers Grove North and York on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Elmhurst.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s Charlie Cruse (11) runs with the ball during the varsity football game between Downers Grove North and York on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Elmhurst.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s Owen Lansu (1) looks for a receiver during the varsity football game between Downers Grove North and York on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Elmhurst.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network
Downers Grove North’s Tavarez Edwards (6) runs the ball during the varsity football game between Downers Grove North and York on Friday, Oct. 4, 2024 in Elmhurst.
Tony Gadomski for Shaw Local News Network