Quick-striking Stevenson sinks Zion-Benton
Stevenson only needed three big plays to sting the Zee-Bees.
Taking advantage of two turnovers, the Patriots reeled off a trio of scores of 39 yards or longer for a 28-0 halftime lead to key Friday's 42-14 rout of visiting Zion-Benton.
Stevenson (5-3, 3-2) was sparked by a combined 178-yard rushing output in the first two stanzas, including a scoring run of 70 from Tyler Vincent and a 55-yard jaunt to paydirt via Anthony Sibo.
"Zion, they're a very talented football team and they are a straight man-to-man team," said Stevenson coach Bill McNamara. "When they take the safety out of the middle of the field, they're going to stop you. But if you can get free and run one through, there's a lot of green. We were lucky tonight to get a few through the open areas."
For the game, the Patriots rolled up 290 yards on the ground thanks to a 5-carry, 160-yard, 2-touchdown performance from Sibo and Vincent's 12-carry, 125-yard and two-score night.
The passing game wasn't too shabby either, as Jack Sorenson completed 7 of 11 for 107 yards and a pair of scoring strikes to Henry Marchese.
After a defensive stand to open the game, Stevenson took advantage of good field position and a pair of pivotal Zee-Bee penalties to set up Vincent for a plunge into the end-zone from 8.
A fumble on the next Patriots series set the visitors up from their own 31, where a DeAndre Green completion and Terrance Brister gain to move the chains closed the gap. A false start on a fourth and 2 from the 2 led to a Matthew Rojel field goal try, but a fumbled a snap stalled Zion-Benton.
The Zee-Bees defense stalled Stevenson, but a short punt was deflected back into the hands of Stevenson's Spencer Cadiz.
One play later, Vincent burst up the gut and was off to the races to make it 14-0.
"Our motion helped and our traps were perfect," said Vincent. "Our offensive line did a (heck of a ) job. Sibo sealed the back side and all I had to do was run. That was the easy part. It was great."
Stevenson's next drive found similar success. This time it was Sibo, who replicated the prior scoring run from 55 yards out with help of a Sorenson block.
"Hats off to the offensive line, that's all I have to say," said Sibo. "We've got to keep rising up."
Bad luck plagued Zion-Benton again. After moving the chains steadily into scoring position, a second field goal attempt was blocked by a host of Patriots and recovered by Ryan Greenbury on the plus side of the field.
Stevenson delivered a dagger on the following play, stinging the Bees with a 39-yard strike from Sorenson to Henry Marchese to cap the half.
The Zee-Bees offense showed some life in the second half thanks to the arm of DeAndre Green, who hit a 46-yard strike to Dinario Hickman to set up a 1-yard quarterback keep to tighten Stevenson's grasp.
On the very next Patriot offensive play, however, it was déjà vu as Sibo raced open 80 yards up field for a score.
Stevenson's next possession saw Sorenson connect on 4 passes before finding Marchese in the end-zone from 21 yards out.
Zion-Benton (3-5, 0-5) added a 3-yard scoring strike from Green to Taiveyon Victorian, but was unable to further close the gap.
Green closed the game with a 19 of 31 performance through the air for 223 yards with the touchdown strike and 1 interception, while adding 32 yards and a score on the ground to pace the visitors.
Stevenson closes its regular season at Mundelein needing a win to assure itself of a playoff berth. Zion-Benton caps its year at home versus Lake Forest.