Tucker, defense spark Spartans

For the second straight week, Brookfield East grabbed momentum back from the opposition late in the game and came away with a 27-7 victory at Waukesha North Friday night.

In the season opener, East saw Waukesha South score twice in the last four minutes to send the game into overtime, but then rallied to win, 24-21, on Colin DeVoe's field goal.

This week the Spartans saw the Northstars tie the game at 7-7 with 9 minutes, 35 seconds left to play when Chris Aho tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to Steve Peterson.

But senior running back Donavin Tucker returned the kickoff 52 yards to the North 38-yard line, and the Spartans quickly bounced back with an eight-play, 62-yard drive.

Quarterback Skyler Holden ended the drive when he rolled right away from a North rush and found Aaron Dillon, who had worked his way open in the right corner of the end zone for the score and a 14-7 lead with 6:31 left to play.

After the Spartans stopped the Northstars once again, Tucker finished a five-play drive with a 62-yard touchdown run.

"My linemen blocked and I just followed," the modest senior said. "I made one cut and I was gone."

That made the score 21-7 and then junior linebacker Nick Tongas clinched the game when he intercepted Aho's pass and raced 32 yards to the North three-yard line, where Tedrick Boone scored two plays later to close out the scoring.

East coach Sal Logue praised the big plays that Tucker made that shifted the momentum back to the Spartans.

"Tucker is type of kid where he doesn't need much room," Logue said. "His acceleration; he gets up to speed real quick. As the game went on, our o-line kept working, working, as they (North) wore down. He didn't need much of a break (in the line).

"All the kids are playing hard and I'm glad to see them being rewarded."

Tucker opened the night's scoring from 32 yards out with 9:56 left in the first quarter and Colin DeVoe's point after gave the Spartans a 7-0 lead.

Senior linebacker Tyler Lecher, who shared the game ball with Tucker, then led a defense that shut down the Northstars until their one late left in the game.

Tucker finished with 135 yards in 10 carries, Boone had 49 yards in 14 carries and Holden was 6-for-10 passing for 67 yards.