Simmons' big plays propel Whiting to homecoming win

WHITING | Whiting wide receiver Juwan Simmons doesn't have a need for speed. He already has a lot of it.

The elusive junior caught five passes for 102 yards, including a 66-yard touchdown, on Friday night. And just for good measure, he added a 70-yard kickoff return for a score to lead Whiting to a 23-12 Homecoming win over North Newton in Greater South Shore Conference action on Friday night.

Whiting junior quarterback Matt Aponte also threw for a career-high 252 yards.

"Matt continues to improve in the pocket," Whiting coach Jeff Cain said. "We also did a good job getting Juwan more involved in the offense."

Whiting (3-3, 2-2 GSSC) scored on its second play from scrimmage with the long touchdown pass to take an early 7-0 lead.

"We practiced big plays all week and the O-line blocked awesome for me," Aponte said. "I think they underestimated Juwan's speed and my arm, so we took advantage of it."

Both defenses held tight after that though, as the Oilers took that same score to the half.

Then, Simmons electrified the crowd with the long kickoff return up the middle of the field, virtually going untouched.

"We noticed on film that they leave the middle of the field open on kickoff coverage," Simmons said.

North Newton (1-5, 1-3) cut the lead to 14-6 on an 8-play, 60-yard drive late in the third quarter, ending on a Jake Schuitema 1-yard run.

But Whiting responded with a Sal Salazar 25-yard field goal to end the third. After a three-and-out to begin the fourth for the Spartans, the Oilers held the ball for seven minutes, driving 55 yards on 15 plays, capped by an Emerick Quiroz 2-yard touchdown run.

North Newton coach Marc Hall said penalties and poor coverage were the big difference in the game.

"There were some penalties that weren't necessarily called on them," Hall said. "And we just have to go back to the drawing board on our coverage."

PREP FOOTBALL

Whiting 23, North Newton 12

Whiting quarterback Matt Aponte threw for a career-high 252 yards in the win.