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Lake Forest denies Lake Zurich of its playoff goal

There's still more football to be played at Lake Zurich this season.

But it sure didn't feel that way outside of the locker room Friday night in the wake of the Bears' 21-20 loss to Lake Forest.

The tears and long faces were more indicative of a season-ending loss.

Then again, the loss does end Lake Zurich's chances of a post-season and making the IHSA playoff field. And just as devastatingly for the players, it ends the program's proud tradition of 13 straight playoff appearances that dates back to 2002.

Lake Zurich is now 3-5, so even with a win over Warren next week in the Week 9 regular season finale, its win total would still be short of the five minimum to potentially qualify on playoff points (based on opponent wins).

"It's disappointing, we're mad, angry," Lake Zurich running back Ben Klett said. "We just lost a tradition of Lake Zurich football. We're not going to the playoffs."

The Bears were just a few yards short.

Lake Forest, which moves to 5-3, took the lead in the fourth quarter when quarterback Daniel Carollo hit Quinn Julian for a 35-yard touchdown pass. A two-point conversion gave the Scouts a 21-14 lead with 6:55 left.

But Lake Zurich managed to chip away little by little on the next drive. Five minutes and 14 plays later, the Bears were in the end zone on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Joey Lindstrom to Nick Sanders. Sanders and Jake Stevens were forced into heavy action due to the loss of both of Lake Zurich's star running backs, Klett and Kyle Roth. Klett and Roth were forced to leave the game due to too many hits to the helmet.

"It was really intense. (That last series) was a matter of do-or-die and everyone played with their hearts," Sanders said. "I really thought we had a chance, that we could pull it off after we scored that touchdown."

Down 21-20 after the touchdown, Lake Zurich called a timeout to ponder an extra point to tie the game and force a likely overtime, or a two-point conversion that could conceivably win the game.

The Bears went for 2 points and pitched the ball to Stevens. But he was unable to turn the corner as Lake Forest senior Matthew Clifford quickly dropped him to the ground a few yards from the end zone.

Lake Zurich then tried an on-side kick and even recovered it, which gave the offense one more shot at the end zone.

But the Lake Forest defense squashed those hopes, too.

"It's great to be able to rely on the defense like that. Thank God they saved us," said Julian, who had 15 carries for 99 yards and 2 receptions, both touchdowns. "It really helped us out that the defense stopped them.

"It's tough for Lake Zurich because this knocks them out of the playoffs. It's kind of a wake-up call seeing them all crying going through the handshake line."

Lake Forest (5-3) could be in the same position Lake Zurich is in if it doesn't win its regular season finale next week against Zion-Benton to get to 6 wins. With 32 playoff points as of Friday, five wins doesn't necessarily guarantee the Scouts a playoff spot. Six wins would.

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