WHEATON — The Belvidere North players held up their helmets to their fans after their game, and the crowd cheered loudly.
It didn’t matter that North lost the game by 35 points. North fans knew that this team was special because it was the first North football team to qualify for the playoffs.
But for now, the first playoff win will have to wait.
Wheaton St. Francis breezed past North in the first-round Class 5A playoff game with a 49-14 running-clock win Saturday. North ends its season 5-5 after finishing 3-6 in its inaugural season in 2007.
ROCKFORD — Belvidere North coach Curt Tobin knows the importance of Corey Wennmacher to the Blue Thunder offense.
“As Corey goes, we go,” Tobin said of his senior quarterback.
On Friday night, Wennmacher got the Blue Thunder going on the game’s opening play, returning the kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown.
He also threw for 169 yards and three touchdowns as Belvidere rolled to a 63-26 victory. The points output was the most in the two-year history of the school.
Wennmacher was far from satisfied.
Jefferson’s homecoming also was a special night for Belvidere North’s Keith Larson.
The junior quarterback returned to action after being sidelined since the season’s first game with an ankle sprain.
Larson showed little rust Friday, throwing two touchdown passes to Jacob Billon in a 48-13 victory over Jefferson.
“It felt great just to get back on the field,” Larson said. “There is no better feeling than to get out there on a Friday night and play football.”
