LaCosse, Defense Power Naperville North over West Aurora

Naperville North needed a response.

Minnesota-bound quarterback Matt LaCosse had a ready reply.

The Huskies' senior leader answered the lone West Aurora score with his second keeper of the night for a touchdown as the Huskies defeated the Blackhawks 21-7 in DuPage Valley Conference action Friday night in Aurora.

West Aurora (2-2, 0-2) has never defeated Naperville North (3-1, 1-1) in football since joining the league in the fall of 1997.

"It was a designed play," LaCosse said of his crucial fourth-down conversion run off right tackle that enabled the senior signal-caller to call his own number two plays later and restore the Huskies' two-score advantage.

LaCosse, who was injured last week in the Huskies' 10-3 loss to Glenbard North, entered the game late in the first quarter.

He promptly directed North downfield, only to have the Huskies' most-promising first-half drive end with a fumbled snap from center that West Aurora recovered at its own 3-yard line.

But the Naperville North defense, which limited the Blackhawks a mere first down and 43 yards of first-half offense, forced a three-and-out.

LaCosse directed the offense  back into the West Aurora red zone, and the 6-foot-7 quarterback rumbled around right end for the first of two scores, breaking a scoreless tie with two minutes and change to play in the second quarter.

"We just needed a little more punch," Naperville North coach Sean Drendel said of his decision to replace starter Bryan Sleik with LaCosse. "It wasn't anything (Sleik) didn't do. Matt is our leader."

"You're going to be hearing about (Sleik) in coming weeks," LaCosse said.

Naperville North thwarted the Blackhawks' opening third-quarter drive as Nick Lifka, the Huskies' star Boston College-bound middle linebacker made two of his five tackles for losses on consecutive plays to initiate second-half play.

Beginning in West Aurora territory once again, LaCosse connected with Alex Alicea for a 21-yard hookup on third-and-six to establish first-and-goal at the Blackhawks' 1.

Nick Sianta, who had 63 yards on 18 carries, extended the Huskies' lead to 13-0 on the ensuing play.

West Aurora would answer on its next possession. Quarterback Josh Campbell found Cole Childs on three separate occasions, including a 37-yard first-down strike, to halve the Blackhawks' deficit.

But LaCosse directed the Huskies on their third time-consuming drive to answer the Blackhawks' score, and West Aurora would have two subsequent drives stymied by North interceptions and the last two by Lifka fourth-down stops.

"We definitely need to get better in the first halves," said LaCosse, who had 108 of the Huskies' 276 yards. The senior also hit 6 of 12 passes for another 82 yards.