Downers Grove South, behind James Sobkowiak’s 3 TD passes and 5 forced turnovers, rolls to win at Willowbrook

Football contests between Downers Grove South and Willowbrook are usually hard-fought and more times than not aren’t decided until late. But it was quite different Friday night when the Mustangs and Warriors met in a key West Suburban Gold affair in Villa Park.

DGS quarterback James Sobkowiak completed 13-of-17 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns, Forest Bates ran for 97 yards and accounted for two scores, and Terrell Jackson had two interceptions as the Mustangs rolled to a 42-7 victory.

“We worked hard all week and were prepared,” Sobkowiak said. “We had a great game plan coming in and we executed it very well.”

After DGS (3-1, 2-0 WSC Gold) got a three-and-out defensively to begin the game, Sobkowiak hit Nate Thurston (6 receptions, 92 yards) for 41 yards to set up Bates’s five-yard TD run at the 6:33 mark of the first quarter.

Willowbrook (2-2, 1-1) got within the DGS 10 on the next possession, but the Warriors’ drive stalled, and Ben Swanson was wide left with his 30-yard field goal try.

In the second quarter, a 4-yard TD run from Malachi Wilder and a 30-yard TD pass from Sobkowiak to Antonio Evans (5 receptions, 109 yards) gave the Mustangs a 20-0 lead. But DGS also had two Bates scores - a 56-yard run plus a 78-yard reception - called back due to penalties. In all, the Mustangs committed 13 infractions for 127 yards - 10 of those in the first half.

“It makes me insane,” DGS coach Mark Molinari said. “We’re going to be working on that and we’re going to be doing a little more running Monday.”

The penalties allowed Willowbrook to hang around, and the Warriors got on the board with a 1-yard run by Kamron Greenhow with 38.3 seconds left in the half.

But Thurston returned the second-half kickoff 52 yards to set up DGS deep in Willowbrook territory, and the Mustangs cashed in on the excellent field position as Sobkowiak hit Bates for a 10-yard touchdown. The duo also connected on the 2-point conversion to give DGS a 28-7 lead almost 4 minutes into the third quarter.

“James is a big-time player. He’s a good baseball player, but he’s also a really good football player,” Molinari said.

“Forest can score on any given day, any given play,” Sobkowiak said.

On Willowbrook’s next drive, Jackson picked off Nate Jerkovic near midfield. Once again, DGS took advantage of a short field as defensive lineman Nick Majchrowicz scored five yards out.

Then it was Jake Mytys’s turn to get into the act for the Mustangs as he intercepted Willowbrook backup QB Jackson Dyers. DGS cashed in again, this time in grand style, as Evans made a terrific diving catch in the end zone for a 46-yard score.

“(Evans) works hard. He’s always the first one out there and he’s ready to work,” Sobkowiak said. “He got rewarded for his hard work tonight.”

DGS forced five Willowbrook turnovers in the game, something that made Molinari happy.

“Our kids wanted to play great defense,” he said. “We weren’t sure about our defense. (Willowbrook) scores points and has a great running offense, but I thought we responded well.”

Luke Potter had a sack and fumble recovery for DGS.

Dyers finished with 78 yards rushing and Adam Hajyasin had five catches for 83 yards for Willowbrook.

“We turned the ball over and couldn’t get off the field on third downs,” Willowbrook coach Nick Hildreth said. “(DGS) valued the football and we didn’t. There’s stuff to clean up and improve on; you’re not going to beat good teams doing what we did.”