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Grant's frustration eases with win against Round Lake

Grant has endured a couple of frustrating seasons. On Friday against Round Lake, some of the seniors were able to turn in some highlights in their second-to-last high school game.

Wingback Ben Schram scored two touchdowns, while Kemar Miller and Riley Whitney also found the end zone. The host Bulldogs pulled away in the second half to post a 33-13 victory in the North Suburban Prairie.

"We just stuck together as a team, kept pushing through and persevering is what we're doing," Schram said. "Even though we don't like what's happening, we just keep bulldogging through it."

Round Lake battled most of the night and trailed just 20-13 heading into the fourth quarter. Grant finally got some breathing room when Schram broke loose on the sweep for a 47-yard touchdown. The speedy senior caught a 37-yard touchdown pass from Nick Kouvelis late in the first half.

Miller finished the scoring when he caught a short hitch pattern, spun to the outside and completed a 30-yard touchdown pass with 4:30 remaining. Miller and Schram are both part of a successful relay team during track season. In football, the entire Grant offense has struggled to get on track this season.

"It's been hard. It's been a tough season," Grant coach Vito Andriola said. "We start so many young kids. No excuse, but that's what we do. There were three sophomores on the offensive line. That's pretty cool. I like that."

Kouvelis, a junior, looked more comfortable in his fourth varsity start at quarterback. He wasn't able to practice much in preseason after breaking his wrist playing basketball in the summer.

On Friday, Kouvelis completed 5 of 7 passes for 124 yards. Sophomore Kenyon Jones rushed for 127 yards on 22 carries for the Bulldogs (2-6, 2-3).

"Even though we got our butt handed to us the last couple weeks, there are things that are really, really close," Andriola said. "I know we're going in the right direction. I know it. The kids are starting to understand things."

Round Lake's offense was clicking at times. On the Panthers' fourth offensive play, quarterback Tabieas Young hit fellow junior Alan Espinosa for a short completion, which he turned into a 61-yard TD pass.

After Whitney's 3-yard run put Grant ahead 14-7, Round Lake scored again on a 5-yard run by Juwan Brownlee (19 carries, 93 yards). The extra point was wide and the Panthers trailed 14-13.

Early in the third quarter, Round Lake had two chances deep in Grant territory, but were stopped on fourth down twice.

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