The Acorn's High School Football Game of the Week
Royal Highlanders (0-1) vs. Oak Park Eagles (1-0) Friday, 7 p.m.
By Thomas Gase tgase@theacorn.com

BILL SPARKES/Acorn Newspapers PHYSICAL GAME- Oak Park's David Ju, right, is wrapped up during practice. The Eagles host Royal in a Week 2 showdown.

Prior to the start of the season, many critics were quick to point out that Oak Park High's football team had one of the best defenses in the area. Last week in its first game of the year, that defense didn't disappoint.

The Eagles defense held Cathedral High in the first half to just 21 total yards on its way to a 32-21 win. Leading the way for Oak Park's defense was senior Sean Westgate, who intercepted a pass and also blocked a punt in the end zone for a safety. Oak Park would end up with two safeties by the end of the game.

"Coach (Brian) Crum does a great job coordinating the defense," Oak Park head coach Dick Billingsley said. "What I was very impressed with was the reaction time of the defense. Everyone seemed to be getting to the ball very quick. The linebackers did a great job on open screens while the front four and the secondary played good too."

This week Oak Park will get to show off its defense for the first time this season in front of its home crowd when it plays host to Royal High tomorrow night.

Royal is 0-1 after losing 35-27 to Chaminade High at home last week. Oak Park defense will have to stop Highlander running back Derek Morris, who ran wild last week for 123 yards on 19 carries. Morris also caught one pass for 36 yards.

Besides Morris, the Eagles will also have to stop Jake Mittel at wide receiver. Last week Mittel caught four passes for 93 yards and a touchdown.

On offense, Oak Park will also have to get past a great defensive player, the Highlanders' Cameron Flye. After leading the team in tackles last year, Flye got off to a good start against Chaminade by posting 11 tackles.

"They got a real talented kid over there in Flye," Billingsley said. "He is not quite as big in stature as Westgate, but he is very quick."

In order to beat Flye and Royal's defense, Oak Park will once again rely on an offense that is heavy on the option play. Last week the option worked well when senior running back Kyle Shorten threw a 17-yard touchdown pass Jay Azzarello. Billingsley said he was impressed with quarterback Kyle Andrus, who replaced senior Nick DiPaolo in the second half and did a good job running the option.

"What I liked the most from Kyle running the option was that he kept the ball about five of the seven times we ran it with him," Billingsley said. "He showed great composure for a junior and read the defenses very well. I think Nick (DiPaolo) is a great competitor, but for now Kyle will be practicing this week with the first team, and there is a good chance he will be starting at quarterback Friday night."

Billingsley also noted that one thing the Eagles will have to improve on is scoring in the red zone. Twice OPHS was inside the 10-yard line and failed to score.

Offensive lineman Andrew Hewitson, who also plays defense and recorded a sack last week, said that the home crowd should help the team this week.

"I'm so pumped for this game," Hewitson said. "Ever since we lost last year to Oaks Christian in the playoffs I've been looking forward to this first home game. It's going to be great game."