The Lincoln-Way West football team closed a resilient season with a 28-10 loss at Downers Grove North.
West opened the year with a 47-7 win over Bloom Trail and carried that momentum through tight victories over Lockport, Andrew and Lincoln-Way Central. The Warriors also delivered dominant performances against Waubonsie Valley, DeKalb and Lapeer before ending the regular season with a 49-0 shutout of Stagg. Their postseason run included convincing wins over Lincoln Park and Kenwood that further solidified their place among the state’s most consistent programs.
Offensively, West finished with 3,873 total yards and 401 points. Jahan Abubakar led the ground game with 1,084 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns, while quarterback Grant Tustin threw for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns with only two interceptions and added 659 rushing yards and eight more scores. Ethan Swanson led the receivers with 537 yards and three touchdowns, and Jimmy Talley added 324 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.
Defensively, the Warriors produced 635 tackles and 34 tackles for loss. Noah Wendt totaled 79 tackles, Nick Elstner added 70 stops and an interception, and RJ Boye recorded three interceptions, including a 77-yard return.
Kicker Zach Hermanson converted 11 field goals, including a long of 51 yards, to anchor special teams.