Yorkville Stuns Ottawa In Overtime

 senior Neil O’Brien is excited that the Foxes are 3-0 after their thrilling 43-42 overtime win over visiting Ottawa (1-2) in a Northern Illinois Big 12 crossover clash contested Friday night at Campbell Field on the campus of .

The tailback, who rushed the ball 35 times for 201 yards and two touchdowns, scored the game-winning two-point conversion in the extra session.

"We are here to win," O'Brien said. "It is hard-mouth football, we knew we had to smash it."

O'Brien's two-point plunge followed an Ottawa penalty for a horse-collar tackle on ’s Ilir Emini, who attempted to take a pitch from quarterback Nick Gillette after the Foxes had come out in a kicking formation.

Emini’s brother, Arton, was on the field to kick the extra point that would have tied the game at 42. But Foxes head coach Karl Hoinkes called a time out to discuss strategy. O’Brien (two touchdowns) had scored on a four-yard run to get the Foxes back into the game.

Hoinkes sent Ilir back in the game to kick instead of Arton and before the ball was snapped, Gillette (the holder) got into his normal quarterback position and Ilir floated to his left as a running back. Emini got the pitch and was forced out at the two. Then the official’s flag flew into the picture to set up O’Brien’s two-point heroics. Once he took the plunge, Campbell Field was up for grabs.

"We just decided to beat them," Gillette said. "We go into every game expecting to win. We are starting something new right now. This is the start of something new."

The teams were almost a reflection of the other, especially on the scoreboard. Ottawa raced to a 21-7 first quarter lead. Both teams exchanged scores in the second and then played a scoreless third.  turned up the volume and mounted its comeback to tie with a 21-7 advantage.

Coach "knew we could get it done and we did," said O'Brien, who knew going for two was a risky undertaking. "We came out (after halftime) with the attitude to win and we won."

Gillette was six of 12 passing for 107 yards and one touchdown. He rushed for three touchdowns and had nine carries for 63 yards. Emini had two carries for 10 yards on two fake punts to keep drives alive and had three catches for 53 yards and one score.

Ottawa had two scores each from its talented running backs Tyler Fiesel (six carries, 98 yards) and Miguel Hermosillo (12 carries, 185 yards). Quarterback William Hoffman had two touchdown passes.

, which has matched its win total of last season, faces state power house Geneseo at 7:30 p.m. Friday at Geneseo.