SANDWICH -- It's the game that high school football fans look forward to every year along the small stretch of road between Plano and Sandwich on U.S. Route 34.

Fresh off a huge upset last week over Coal City, the Indians from Sandwich were bolstered with high hopes going into Friday night's contest against their powerful neighbors.

But the Reapers from Plano promptly put to rest any thought Sandwich had about an upset, while putting local fans on notice that "The Nation" is poised once again to defend its Interstate Eight Conference football crown.

Behind a dominant offensive attack and a stifling defensive effort, Plano left no doubt that it will be a force to be reckoned with in 2006 with a 40-7 eye-opener at Sandwich.

"Our game plan was to stop Nick Nasti and we didn't do a bad job of that. But Plano has so many other weapons that hurt us tonight," said Sandwich head football coach Derek Avery. "Their line play was superb. (Ben) Quintero gave us fits on defense. They filled their gaps well and we just couldn't get anything going offensively. They are one heck of a team."

While Plano's defense was stellar, it was the Reaper offense that got things rolling on the very first series of the game in front of the huge crowd that came to witness the local rivalry. Plano used an eight-play, 63-yard drive on the opening possession to take a 7-0 lead. Senior quarterback Brook Bott hit senior wideout Josh O'Hara with a 20-yard touchdown pass to give the Reapers the early advantage after sophomore kicker Kevin Jernigan's extra point kick was good.

"Brook did a great job with play action and I found a way to get open," O'Hara said. "It was our only pass of the series and I think we caught them off guard."

On Sandwich's first possession of the game, the Indians (1-1) fumbled on the second play and Nasti recovered to give Plano another early opportunity. The Reapers promptly marched 61 yards in 10 plays with Nasti gaining the last 10 for a touchdown. Jernigan's point after kick again was good and Plano led 14-0 after one quarter.

"We were really getting off the ball well on both sides in the first quarter. Just like the Lisle game last week, we were able to get off to a nice lead," Nasti said.

Plano carried the offensive momentum into the second period where it scored twice once again. After stalling Sandwich on the initial play of the quarter, the Reapers took a 20-0 lead on Bott's one-yard quarterback sneak. Jernigan's kick missed, but Plano was cruising.

Despite having to punt for the first time midway through the second period, Plano struck again with 34 seconds to go in the half. After a 51-yard screen pass to senior tailback Jared Ferguson, Bott hit senior end Eric Nelson with a six-yard touchdown pass. Jernigan's point-after kick was good and Plano led 27-0 at the half.

"We were really clicking again tonight just like we did in the first half versus Lisle last week. We knew at the intermission that if we just played the same way in the second half we'd be in control," Bott said.

The Reapers did just that scoring on Nasti's 25-yard touchdown scamper at 4:45 of the third period and then again on Ferguson's three-yard jaunt at 5:39 of the fourth quarter to give Plano a 40-0 lead and a running clock just like it had last week against Lisle.

"We showed total domination last week and we did it again tonight. We're certainly ready to prove why we are the best team in the I-8," Ferguson said. "We have the experience being in the 3A semifinals last year. Hopefully this year we won't be denied."

Sandwich added a touchdown late in the fourth quarter as junior Jake Brewick picked up a Plano fumble and rambled 65 yards for the score to give the Indians their lone bright spot of the night.

The Reapers amassed 324 total yards in offense, while limiting Sandwich to 118. Ferguson led all rushers with 80 yards on 10 carries and one touchdown, while Nasti had 79 on 13 totes and two touchdowns. Bott was four-of-seven passing for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Ferguson and O'Hara tallied 51 and 47 yards receiving respectively for Plano.

Sandwich (1-1) travels to Seneca (0-2) next week to take on the Irish.

"Next week will be a key game for us versus Seneca," Avery said. "We better be ready because they are a better team this year and they are very well-coached."

Plano (2-0) 14 13 7 6 -- 40

Sandwich (1-1) 0 0 0 7 -- 7

First Quarter

P -- O'Hara reception from Bott 20 (Jernigan kick), 7:26, 7-0.

P -- Nasti 10 run (Jernigan kick), :40, 14-0.

S -- Maierhofer 33 run (Humphreys kick), 2:28, 7-7.

Second Quarter

P -- Bott 1 run, PAT failed), 8:01, 20-0.

P -- Nelson reception from Bott 6 (Jernigan kick), :11, 27-0.

Third Quarter

P -- Nasti 25 run (Jernigan kick), 4:45, 34-0.

Fourth Quarter

P -- Ferguson 3 run (PAT failed), 5:39, 40-0.

S -- Brewick 65 fumble return (Hutchison kick), 1:44, 40-7.

P S

First Downs 14 64

Rushes-yards 45-220 28-82

Passing 104 36

Total Offense 324 118

Comp-Att-Int 4-7-0 3-7-0

Punts/Avg 3-40.3 6-22.7

Fumbles-Lost 1-1 3-2

Penalties-Yards 9-75 3-20

Time of possession 27:26 20:34

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INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING -- P: Ferguson 10-80, Nasti 13-79, Alvarado 8-28, Bott 7-20, Wright 4-15, Lyle 1-0, Green 2-(-2). S: McGary 1-37, Buttels 7-17, Futrell 6-16, Ritchie 4-15, Fowler 7-4, Bartholomew 1-0, Tassone 1-0, Hutchinson 1-(-7).

PASSING (Comp-Att-TD-INT-Yds.) -- P: Bott 4-7-2-0-104. S:Fowler 3-7-0-0-36.

RECEIVING -- P: O'Hara 2-47, Ferguson 1-51, Nelson 1-6. S: Buttels 2-20, Ritchie 1-16.