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Crystal Lake South's ground game stops Dundee-Crown

Crystal Lake South's offensive attack isn't pretty or fancy. But it is effective.

Led by a 247-yard 3-touchdown effort by senior running back Kyle Bartusch, the Gators pounded out 351 yards on the ground in a 31-13 win over Dundee-Crown in a Fox Valley Conference Valley Division contest in Carpentersville Friday night.

Bartusch, who scored all 3 touchdowns in the second half on runs of 3, 80 and 3 yards, ran for 196 yards during the final 24 minutes.

"The offensive line was outstanding," said Bartusch. "I would get through the line and there would be a plenty of daylight. Our game is ball possession and we kept the ball away from D-C."

South coach Chuck Ahsmann praised Bartusch's effort.

"He is really running well and he is patient at the line," said the Gators' coach. "He came up with some huge runs."

Junior back Corey Sheehan, who scored on a 4-yard run in the first half, gained 72 yards on 20 carries.

Sheehan's TD gave the Gators (3-3, 2-0) a 7-0 lead with 2:45 remaining in the first quarter. The Chargers (2-4, 0-2) responded with a 14-yard scoring run by Malik Dunner with 9:35 left in the first half to tie the score at 7.

The visiting Gators, who turned the ball over 3 times in the first half, were able to gain some momentum going into the halftime locker room when Tyler Baker connected on a 25-yard field goal as time expired to give Crystal Lake South a 10-7 advantage at intermission.

Bartusch scored his first TD of the second half on a 3-yard run with 6:28 remaining in the third quarter to give the Gators a 17-7 lead.

The Chargers threatened to cut into the South lead early in the fourth quarter. Keyed by a 22-yard pass from

Jeff Atherton to Matt Michalski, D-C moved the ball to the Gator 5. But Ray Turskey's 22-yard field goal attempt was wide with 11:47 left in the game.

After the missed field goal, the Gators scored on their first play from scrimmage as Bartusch raced 80 yards to pay dirt to give the Gators a 24-7 lead with 11:36 remaining.

"The missed field goal and South scoring on the play after were huge," said D-C coach Mike Steinhaus. "We could have cut the lead to 3 but we didn't get any points and they scored and they were up 17. It was a big momentum changer."

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