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Lakes able to finish vs. Wauconda

The finish, which saw Wilfredo Najarro sack a scrambling Kevin Malisheski on fourth-and-3 from the Lakes 19 in the final seconds, was fitting.

Finishing, after all, is what Lakes preached all week.

"We're on a roll," coach Luke Mertens said after his Eagles beat host Wauconda 16-2 Friday night for their third win in a row, hiking their record to 3-2 and 3-0 in the North Suburban Prairie Division. "But we're five games in, and it's the same things. I guess we just like to make it exciting. Previous years, we were able to finish. We're still learning that as a team."

Lakes did its share of finishing on both sides of the ball again in handing Wauconda (1-4, 1-1) its second loss in a row. The game's first touchdown came when Jordan Mercure hit junior Conner Chamernik from 15 yards out on fourth-and-14 with 2:16 left in the first quarter. Chamernik's first TD of the season capped a 13-play, 66-yard drive.

Up 9-2 at halftime, Lakes scored on the opening series of the third quarter. Mercure twice converted fourth-down passes, with his 18-yard completion to Nicholas Austill putting the ball at the Wauconda 1. On the next snap, Cameron Ruiz (26 carries, 117 yards) scored.

Mercure also picked up a first down on fourth-and-inches when he drew an encroachment penalty.

"Before games, we have talks with our team," Mercure said. "The emphasis was on finishing, because we haven't been finishing games. We still didn't finish it too well tonight, but it was good enough."

Besides playing quarterback, the 6-foot-4 Mercure alternates a cornerback with Ruiz. But with Ruiz experiencing leg cramps in the second half, Mercure played extensively at the position and shined. He intercepted Malisheski (25-of-43 passing, 243 yards) early in the fourth quarter and later broke up a pass.

"He's a good athlete, obviously," Mertens said. "He's got good ball skills, and he's tall. He did a great job tonight."

Just last week, Mercure became the Eagles' all-time leader for career passing yards. He doesn't mind playing in the defensive secondary too.

"Do whatever I can for the team," Mercure said.

Wauconda scored its only points when 6-4, 225-pound defensive end Connor Mitchell sacked Mercure in the end zone in the second quarter. Mitchell was active all night disrupting plays. He had 3 tackles for loss and a forced fumble.

"He hit me one time and I could not breathe for like five minutes," Mercure said.

Lakes had its big hits as well. Hunter Falls also intercepted Malisheski, whose favorite target was tight end Grant Rodgers (8 catches, 83 yards).

"I don't think our defense could have played any better than it did tonight," Mertens said. "This was absolutely a defensive victory."

Wauconda coach Dave Mills felt his team wasted a "tremendous defensive effort." In the first half alone, the Bulldogs twice came up short on fourth-down tries in Lakes territory. Falls' interception came at the Lakes 4 to keep the home team out of the end zone.

"We tried to force the ball on offense," Mills said. "Give (Lakes) credit. They made the plays when they had to. Offensively, we were just out of sync all night long."

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