Oak Park Remains Undefeated, 28-24

In a game seemingly destined to be decided by big plays, Oak Park High’s defense made the biggest Friday at Harvard-Westlake.

With 1 minute 31 seconds to play in the nonleague game, Oak Park’s rush converged on Harvard quarterback Greg Peters, stripping him of the ball at Harvard’s 42-yard line. Linebacker Paul Schwanauer recovered to preserve Oak Park’s 28-24 victory.

The win improved Oak Park’s record to 5-0, the best start in school history.

“We needed one more drive,” a disappointed Harvard Coach Gary Thran said.

Had its final drive continued, Harvard might have come out on top. The Wolverines (1-4) twice held a 10-point lead, after one quarter and again near the end of the third.

The lead changed hands three times, with Oak Park taking the lead for good with 2:18 to play on a 13-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Damian Delfino to wide receiver Jeff Gibbons.

Oak Park, which scored two second-quarter touchdowns to erase a 10-point deficit, drove 62 yards in 10 plays in the final eight minutes for the winning score.

The march almost went for naught when the Eagles were whistled for delay of game at the eight-yard line, forcing a third-and-eight situation. But Delfino, who completed nine of 14 passes for 82 yards, lofted a corner pass to Gibbons on the next play for the score.

Gibbons caught three touchdown passes, including a 28-yard option pass from tailback Tarik Smith to pull Oak Park to within 24-21 late in the third quarter.

Smith, who entered the game as the region’s leading rusher, gained 156 yards in 23 carries, including a 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter that gave the Eagles a 14-10 halftime lead.

But it was Delfino, who rushed for a season-high 66 yards in nine carries, who seemingly did the most damage, repeatedly scrambling for key gains to sustain drives.

Harvard’s Max Sank kicked a 37-yard field goal to open the scoring and tailback Jeremiah Aguolu, who rushed for 80 yards in 13 carries, rambled 36 yards for a touchdown on the Wolverines’ next possession.

Early in the third quarter, Aguolu caught a screen pass and raced 76 yards for a touchdown. Sank, however, missed the extra point and Harvard led, 16-14.

Late in the third quarter, Harvard’s Brandon Watson blocked an Oak Park punt and Justin Ehrlich scooped up the ball and raced 32 yards for a touchdown. A two-point conversion gave Harvard-Westlake a 24-14 lead.

Delfino, however, drove Oak Park from its own 47 to Harvard’s 28 on the Eagles’ next series, setting up Smith’s option pass for the touchdown.