New Trier routs Vernon Hills to improve to 3-0 for first time in 5 years

A plus-128 point differential. Ninety-six unanswered points and counting. Twenty touchdowns. Two consecutive shutouts. And, above all else, three wins before Labor Day. 

Life is good right now for the New Trier Trevians, who continued their scorching start to the 2026 season with a 61-0 thrashing of the Vernon Hills Cougars on Friday, Sept. 4, in Northfield. 

The Trevs’ Week 3 victory gives New Trier its first unbeaten start through the opening three games of the regular season since the shortened spring 2021 campaign. 

“We’re ecstatic and our energy is at an all-time high right now,” New Trier senior defensive lineman Cole Mason said. “We were good last year but there’s just a different feeling in our locker room right now. Everyone is really coming together.” 

It was Mason and the Trevs’ defense who set the tone from the jump Friday night after an inauspicious first play of the game. Vernon Hills recovered an onside kick attempt on the opening kickoff, allowing the Cougars to set up shop for their first drive inside New Trier territory. 

But, on the Cougars fourth-down attempt, Mason delivered a punishing sack, forcing a turnover on downs and giving New Trier the ball back with no damage done. 

That first series was a microcosm of what was to come as the Trevs’ defense completely smothered Vernon Hills’ offense all night. New Trier held the Cougars to just one first down in the opening two quarters. 

“I’ve been so impressed with our defense,” Mason said, adding that the Trevs’ chemistry has been a huge factor in its success. “That (chemistry) is really what has put us over the edge there,” he said. 

New Trier head coach Brian Doll said the Trevs are continuing to grow defensively each week while developing an identity as a unit that swarms the ball. 

“What I really love … is when you get a defense that wants multiple guys sprinting to the ball and trying to make plays,” Doll said. That gets really exciting for our defense.”

Nightingale brothers combine for 6 touchdowns in another New Trier offensive outburst

It took only two plays for New Trier’s high-powered offense to flex its muscles. 

After forcing the turnover on downs on Vernon Hills’ first series, the Trevs took over at their own 39. A 14-yard run from halfback Throy Nightingale Jr. put New Trier inside Cougars’ territory. 

Then, on the next play, quarterback Jackie Ryder connected with wide receiver John Baxter for a 47-yard touchdown. Baxter already has three touchdown receptions of more than 35 yards on the young season. 

Senior captain Declan O’Meara intercepted a Vernon Hills pass on the ensuing series and returned it inside the Cougars redzone. It took New Trier only two more plays for its next score, which came via a 7-yard run from Nightingale Jr.

Nightingale Jr., the Trevs stalwart senior back, went on to score New Trier’s next three touchdowns: a 1-yard run and receptions of 21 and 45 yards. 

It’s been a remarkable start to the season for the Notre Dame transfer Nightingale Jr., who now has a staggering seven touchdowns (four rushing, three receiving) through three games. His 134 all-purpose yards (73 receiving, 61 rushing) Friday pushed his season total to 338. 

Throy was not the only member of the family to have a big Week 3 showing, though. Junior Troyvell Nightingale, Throy’s younger brother, also scored two rushing touchdowns. 

Finding the endzone in the same game was a first for the duo. 

“It’s really cool and it’s something that’s never happened before with us,” Troyvell said. “We used to play youth football together … but this is the first time we’ve both scored in a game.” 

New Trier pounded home six rushing touchdowns Friday and for the third-straight week had multiple scores on the ground. Donsley Lyman and Luke Schulz accounted for the other rushing touchdowns. 

“It’s really our offensive line — they’re doing their job and they’re executing,” Troyvell said of the Trevs’ success running the ball. “Our running backs are just seeing the holes and going.” 

A key cog in New Trier’s offensive line is senior captain Nicholas Danielsen, who believes the unit is seeing the fruits of its labor.

“I’m really proud of the boys (on our line),” Danielsen said. “We’ve been working really hard on this. … Everyone wants to play and we all have a really good attitude on the line and I think that helps us push through adversity and helps us (succeed) on the field.” 

So far through the first third of the season, New Trier has outscored its opponents by a massive margin of 141-13. The Trevs are averaging 47 points per game and have not allowed their opponent to score since the third quarter of their Week 1 game. 

“We’re scoring a lot of points and not giving up many, so that’s a really good feeling,” Doll said. 

Here come the Hawks

The tallest task of the year will come to town next week in the form of the Maine South Hawks. 

New Trier will welcome the Hawks (2-1) on Thursday, Sept. 10 to Northfield for their first Central Suburban League South contest. 

After an opening-night defeat (49-35 against Batavia), the Hawks rolled to victories over Warren Township and Maine West with a combined 95 points over the two games. 

What will it take for the Trevs to knock off one of their longest-running foes — a feat which they last did in 2017? Resilience, winning the turnover battle, running the ball well and playing four quarters of football, Doll said. 

“Everybody knows that they are the team to beat in our conference, they have been for a long time — but our kids and our coaches are excited for the challenge and what comes with it,” Doll said. 

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