Sports

Raiders Headed to State After 22-19 Win Over Naperville Central

Bolingbrook quarterback Aaron Bailey scored on a 60-yard touchdown run to give the Raiders a 22-19 lead late in the game. Defense comes up big during last series.

The  football team is headed to state for the second time in school history.

The Raiders defeated Naperville Central 22-19 Saturday afternoon at Naperville Central. Bolingbrook advances to the state championship game in Champaign, where they will take on Loyola Academy on Nov. 26 at 7 p.m.

Loyola defeated Glenbard North 28-13.

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Bolingbrook began the day with grim news. The Raiders' stud linebacker Antonio Morrison was stuck on the sidelines with a broken foot. 

The Raiders fell behind early after Redhawks quarterback Ian Lewandowski scored on a 9-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter. But Bolingbrook quickly responded with a 1-yard scoring run of their own by running back Jaden Huff. 

Find out what's happening in Bolingbrookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The score would remain tied 7-7 headed into halftime. 

Bolingbrook quarterback Aaron Bailey threw his first touchdown pass of the game to give the Raiders a 14-7 lead with 7 minutes and 40 seconds to go in the third quarter. Naperville Central answered with a touchdown pass of its own. But the Redhawks misseed the PAT and the Raiders held a 14-13 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

After another Redhawk score, Bailey added a 60-yard touchdown run for the go-ahead score. 

With the score, 22-19 and the Redhawks deep in their own territor with the ball, the Raiders forced a turnover on downs and went on to claim state championship berth. 

Check back with Patch later for more on the game, including game photos and reaction from players and coaches. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here