Quantcast
skip navigation
Home Regional Publications Baseball Softball Search Results Track Soccer Lacrosse Volleyball Basketball Football More Sports Sign up School Finder

Adams' big game couldn't prevent loss

10/08/2012, 5:15pm CDT
By George M. Wilcox gwilcox@pioneerlocal.com

Jack Adams had the biggest game of his career Friday night, but even his nearly 200 yards of rushing couldn’t assure Hinsdale Central a victory against Oak Park-River Forest.


Hinsdale Central's Jack Adams (4) gets past Oak Park-River Forest's Ford Minaghan (43) during the first quarter of Friday's game. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media

Jack Adams had the biggest game of his career Friday night, but even his nearly 200 yards of rushing couldn’t assure Hinsdale Central a victory.

Oak Park-River Forest (5-2, 3-2) beat Hinsdale Central (5-2, 2-2) for the first time since 2006 to overtake the Devils for second place in the West Suburban Silver behind Glenbard West (7-0, 4-0), which is ranked No. 2 by the Sun-Times.

Adams, a senior from Clarendon Hills, is all about his team, even filling in part-time on defense as a safety when the Red Devils were short-handed for a time during their 42-41 overtime loss.

He missed all of last year when he broke his left foot in the preseason. He could only watch the first round of the 8A playoffs, when Hinsdale Central lost to Mount Carmel 28-14.

Adams is enjoying every minute of this season.

“It’s just good to be out there,” Adams said. “It’s my senior year. I was so upset for a while that I would not be able to play last year. All I could do was stay on the sideline.”

Adams played both ways against OPRF in the second quarter as a brief replacement in the secondary. It was the fourth time he has made a defensive appearance this season. He was credited with two tackles against the Huskies and has seven on the season.

There were early signs that Adams potentially was going to have a career night. He went over 100 yards rushing on his 13th carry and had 117 yards at the end of the first quarter. He finished with 31 carries for 193 yards. His attempts topped his 28 rushes against Lyons Sept. 21; his previous highest rushing yardage was 189 against Leyden Aug. 31.

“He does a great job,” coach Rich Tarka said. “He gets extra yards after contact.”

On the season, Adams has 157 carries for 893 yards for an average of 127.6 yards per game. He has nine TDs, including two each against St. Charles North and Hinsdale South, to go along with his three on Friday.

Adams is back to his former form when he was the captain of Hinsdale Central’s sophomore team. He has become a workhorse running back for coach Rich Tarka.

Adams scored Friday on runs of four, five and four yards. His last TD was Hinsdale’s only one of the second half, coming on the first possession of overtime to give the Devils the lead after John Andrews sent the game into overtime with a 26-yard field goal with 2:03 left in regulation.

After football, Adams will likely return to the wrestling team. One of his football teammates, Brian Allen, is one of the school’s top wrestlers.

“I came out to (football) tryouts at 100 percent,” Adams said. “I was really excited about coming out this season. I’m happy with what I’m doing.”

Hinsdale Central and Downers Grove North (5-2, 2-2) both will trying to clinch a berth in the playoffs when the two teams meet at 7:30 p.m. Friday in Downers Grove.

Related Stories

Tag(s): West Suburban  Silver  Hinsdale Central  Top News  Top News