McGreevy Paul, St. Charles East pick off second win at Waubonsie Valley

AURORA – Intensity, especially on the defensive side of the ball, can carry a team a long way.

St. Charles East has maintained its firebrand intensity since practice began in early August, and it’s now paying off.

Case in point was the Sept. 2 nonconference road game at Waubonsie Valley. The Saints got a pair of interceptions from junior McGreevy Paul, the second of which led to what ultimately was the game-winning touchdown with 3:01 left in the second quarter, and made it stand in a 10-7 win.

That’s right: St. Charles East held Waubonsie Valley scoreless in a defensive seesaw in the second half, including the final series of the game, when the Warriors took over with 2:09 to go and the ball on their own 20.

Defensive pressure from the line and a tight secondary prevented Waubonsie Valley from advancing any further than its own 35. From there, it was victory formation for St. Charles East and a 2-0 record.

Now comes the fun part: the DuKane Conference schedule.

“Obviously, we care a lot about conference,” Paul said. “Those are the teams we play every year. We’ve had that same intensity from the first day of summer, and we’ve tried to carry that intensity through. We’re not trying to waver at all.”

Senior linebacker Gavin Rabe was even more direct.

“We got one vote to win the conference,” Rabe said. “That’s not going to stand next week. We’re going to show why we’re going to win the DuKane Conference.”

Waubonsie Valley struck first on a 27-yard touchdown pass from junior quarterback Luke Elsea to fellow junior Brady Teeple on the first drive of the game. Elsea finished 11 for 16 for 121 yards.

With 8:47 left in the half, the Warriors marched to the Saints’ 33 before Paul picked off Elsea. On the ensuing drive, St. Charles East went 82 yards in 12 plays, culminating in an 8-yard pass up the middle from senior quarterback Lane Robinson to senior Mason Tousignant that no one expected at the time would set the final score.

Senior running back Trenton Matejko paced the Saints with 134 yards rushing on 24 carries.

The Warriors also played intense, stout defense in the second half, holding St. Charles East to 121 total offensive yards.

“I was really pleased with our defensive kids,” Waubonsie Valley coach Tom Baumgartner said. “They played great. That’s all you can ask for, being down three at the half.”

https://football.dailyherald.com/sports/20220902/paul-st-charles-east-pick-off-waubonsie-valley/