Team

Brookfield

Record	Div.	Conf.
5/5	Div. VI	All-American Conference Blue Tier

Team

Valley Christian

Record	Div.	Conf.
2/5	Div. VII	Portage Trail Conference (Metro)

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

POLAND

One week after a fourth-quarter breakdown handed the Brookfield Warriors a season-opening loss, 48 minutes of focus delivered their first win.

Augustus Necastro threw for 187 yards and three touchdowns, Caleb Hunkus caught five passes for 124 yards and two scores and Alex Clark rushed for 59 yards and a score as the Warriors defeated Valley Christian, 43-7, on Saturday night at Dave Pavlansky Field.

“After last week’s loss we practiced a lot harder and were much more focused. We played an excellent first half against Springfield Local last week, but didn’t finish what we started,” Necastro said. “All week long the coaches told us to focus for 48 minutes and tonight that was our mindset. I had plenty of protection, so credit my offensive line for that. We have an excellent receiving corps and three of our four have been three-year starters.”

Valley Christian (0-2) fumbled on the first play of the game and it didn’t take the Warriors long to capitalize.

Kasey Tingler caught an 8-yard pass from Necastro a little over two minutes into the contest as Brookfield forged a 7-0 lead.

When Clark found the end zone from the 2 with five seconds remaining in the period, the Warriors had a 14-0 advantage.

Hunkus’ 48-yard touchdown reception from Necastro at the 2:54 mark of the second period made it 21-0.

“Augustus does an excellent job of seeing the entire field and then finding his receiver. That comes from experience because we’ve all been playing together since we were eight years old.” Hunkus said. “He really works hard and it shows on the field. He stays after practice, never takes a day off and has a solid work ethic. He’s always studying film and is really a student of the game.”

Clark, a sophomore, said it can be tough when your father [Randy Clark] is the coach, adding however, that it has been nothing short of fun thus far.

“I enjoy it because it’s easier to talk to him than if he were a coach that you barely knew,” he noted. “Our mindset all week was 48 minutes of all-out football and that was what we did tonight. We never lost our focus.”

A 22-point third period, highlighted by two Xavier Bailey touchdown runs and Hunkus’ second touchdown reception, increased the Warriors’ lead to 43-0 entering the fourth.

“It was 48 minutes of focused football for us tonight and we never let our guard down. I said coming into the game that Valley Christian’s defensive front four was the best that I have seen and they did nothing to disappoint tonight,” Clark said. “Caleb runs excellent routes and has tremendous hands while Augustus is a three-year starter and our field leader.

“As for Alex, it can be tough playing for your father but I really enjoy it. He’s the second son that I’ve coached. It’s easier to talk to him, but football stays football and home stays home.”

A 27-yard strike from Milan Square to Hector Colon with 3:45 remaining then rounded out the scoring and broke up the Warriors’ shutout.

“Two blocked punts and two lost fumbles didn’t help us tonight. We have a young secondary that was depleted tonight due to injury and a family death, but I told our kids that I was proud of their overall effort,” Eagles head coach Brian Marrow said. “Last week against LaBrae we weren’t tough, but today we had that toughness. Now, we need to get mentally tough as well.”

The Eagles’ Berchindle Foster led all rushers with 63 yards. Square was 9 of 15 for 95 yards.