Evergreen Park topples Tinley Park
By Tim O’Brien For Sun-Times Media October 5, 2012 11:54PM
Updated: November 8, 2012 11:49AM
Over the span of just 45 seconds in the first quarter Friday night, Evergreen Park’s Kyle Venhuizen watched Tinley Park score two quick touchdowns.
As if the senior defensive end didn’t have enough motivation, he got it.
Leading an impressive defensive effort with fellow end Da Qua Gatewood, Venhuizen and the host Mustangs defense shut Tinley Park down the rest of the way while quarterback Brandon White threw for four touchdowns in a 26-14 South Suburban crossover victory.
“My mind-set was ‘Just don’t get down,’ ” Venhuizen said. “Our sideline got a little quiet so we had to get back up and shut them down.”
Venhuizen had three sacks for Evergreen Park (5-2, 3-2). White finished 8-of-13 for 181 yards with an interception.
After an early Evergreen score, Tinley Park (4-3, 2-3) scored on a Christian Plummer 60-yard scamper. After an Evergreen Park special-teams turnover, Plummer found the end zone again just 45 seconds later.
That was all the scoring the Titans could muster as Plummer left the game late in the second with a knee injury and did not return.
With the Mustangs offense sputtering, Venhuizen provided the spark, teaming with Gatewood to block a third quarter Tinley Park punt deep in its own territory. White capitalized, finding Mike Reuter just three plays later for a 6-yard strike that broke the 14-all tie.
White later found Jacquet McClendon in the fourth across the middle for a 34-yard score.
“We wanted to keep it going, and our line did a great job,” White said. “We had a good rhythm after a good couple of weeks of practice.”
Tinley Park running backs Preston Thompson (11 carries, 19 yards) and Victor Bogan Sutton both were limited because of injuries. DeAngilo Williams had 20 yards on 15 carries.
“Kudos to Evergreen Park,” Tinley coach Nick Johnston said. “They bottled us up.”
Venhuizen and the defense made sure a pregame bet came true.
“If we shut (Thompson) down for less than 85 yards, we get pizza,” Venhuizen said with a smile. “We got our pizza.”
