Nick Weisse plays multiple roles for West Aurora on defense and special teams.
Sometimes, the senior defensive back is slotted in at a safety spot for the Blackhawks. And sometimes, he plays a different, expanded part for defensive coordinator Pat Stremel.
“It’s called ‘cash,’” Weisse said of the position. “It’s like a hybrid linebacker and safety. I’m in there on passing downs a lot.”
Weisse could have easily been called “money” Friday night for his work at Ormond Stadium in Aurora during the Blackhawks’ 53-0 nonconference rout of Proviso East in the season opener.
While the stars came out for the home team as expected for West Aurora (1-0), unsung heroes like Weisse proved to be something special.
The 5-foot-11, 165-pound Weisse picked off a pass in the flat late in the first quarter and returned it 16 yards for a touchdown.
He also took the opening kickoff of the second half and ran it back 70 yards for another TD.
“There are a couple core things we work on all the time, and taking the ball away is one of them,” Stremel said. “We focus on it a lot, and if we can also get in the end zone, that’s pretty special.”
The defense was extra special while throwing a shutout Friday.
The Pirates had nine possessions in the first half and six were three-and-outs that ended with punts. The other three ended on turnovers, one on special teams and also a second interception by junior defensive back Antonio Higgins.
West Aurora was expected to win against the Pirates, who were 1-8 last season. The Blackhawks won the teams’ matchup 42-0 last year on the way to a Class 8A playoff appearance.
A stifling defense allowed the offense to begin its first five drives deep in Proviso territory.
Junior quarterback Mason Atkins threw one TD pass — 11 yards to senior wide receiver Terrence Smith that opened the scoring — and ran for a 3-yard TD. Senior running back Azuriah Sylvester had TD runs of 1 and 11 yards and sophomore running back Bryce Riley added a 4-yard TD run.
Junior cornerback Jordan Martino was equally special covering the kick return following the opening TD. He was the second defender to meet Proviso East’s return man at the 10-yard line after Sylvester began wrapping up the runner.
“I hit him and grabbed the ball at the same time,” Martino said. “I took it right out of his hands and ran to the end zone.”
That’s always the plan, according to senior linebacker Eliseo Liscano. The first defender wraps up, the second punches it out or takes it away.
“Jordan is fearless, man,” West Aurora coach Nate Eimer said of Martino. “That was a heckuva play. I’m excited to see it on tape because I didn’t have a good view.
“All I know is he came out of the pile and scored.”
Weisse plays up near the 30 on kickoffs because Eimer wants up players with good hands available because some teams kick away from his talented deep returners.
“He skied the kick and I forgot to call my teammate off,” Weisse said. “I just had it and teammates were blocking for me. I just took advantage of what they were doing and hit the open hole.”
While his defense was elite, Eimer said, “our special teams were pretty good, too. We emphasize there’s not two phases in a game — it’s three.”
That Weisse stepped up didn’t surprise Eimer, either.
“We’ve repped him at receiver too,” Eimer said. “He really does it all. He’s a gamer. He’s always ready. The second half of last season he did that.
“All the kids does is show up and work. I couldn’t be happier for the night that he had.”
