VIDEO: Strong Defense, Balanced Offense Helps Deerfield Down Niles North

The defense continuously provided the Warrior offense with a short field Friday night and the offense continuously took advantage of it during a 39-7 win over Niles North at Adams Field.

Ryan Adkins, Brad Holway, Jeremy Kritt, Tyler Vajdic and Jacob Balder all scored touchdowns for Deerfield. Adkins accounted for the first two scores of the game, a 20-yard touchdown catch and a nine-yard touchdown run, and has now scored in the last two games while filling in for the injured Marc Pagano.

Four of the six Deerfield scoring drives were under 30 yards and only required three plays or less. The Warrior defense forced Niles North into three punting situations deep in their own territory. They forced short punts twice due to punt block pressure, and at one point benefited from a poor snap by the Vikings.  Austin Jones intercepted a Mychael Henley pass inside the Vikings 25-yard line to set up another short touchdown drive for Deerfield.

Adkins led the balanced Deerfield attack, rushing for 52 yards on four carries and catching two passes for 31 yards. Vajdic carried 12 times for 50 yards, while Holway rushed for 53 yards and threw for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Oshayne Brown led the Viking offense, carrying the ball 20 times for 96 yards.  Niles North was forced to play much of the game without freshman quarterback Tony Granato, after he injured his back midway through the first quarter.  Henley filled in as quarterback for the Vikings and provided their only score of the game, a one-yard touchdown run on a quarterback sneak midway through the fourth quarter.

With the loss, Niles North moves to 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the CSL North.  Deerfield improves to 5-3 and 4-0 in the conference. The Vikings will take on Maine West in the regular season finale next week. Deerfield will play at Highland Park in what will decide the CSL North title. Both the Warriors and Giants are unbeaten in conference play.

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