Crystal Lake South hangs on vs. Dundee-Crown
The Crystal Lake South football team needed big plays to win its first game of the season Friday night.
And the Gators got them.
A 70-yard kickoff return and a stop on a 2-point conversion allowed the Gators to slip past Fox Valley Conference rival Dundee Crown 35-34 at Crystal Lake.
"That big kickoff return was huge," said CL South coach Chuck Ahsmann. "We had big plays when we really needed them."
With 6:43 left, the Chargers tied the game at 28 all on Ricky Ibarra's third touchdown run of the night and making the 2-point conversion. The sophomore back finished the night rushing for 103 yards on 13 carries.
On the following kick off, CL South's Kyle Leva recovered the ball at the 30-yard line and returned it for a TD. Kory Olson made his fifth PAT to put his team up 35-28.
"I was on the second line. I wasn't designed to receive it but when I got it, I went to the sideline and the guys made good blocks," Leva said. "I had to make one cut back and then it was just open field."
D-C (1-4, 0-4) was not done. It drove 65 yards in 10 plays to score. Greg Williams (160 yards on 28 carries) crossed the goal line on a 2-yard run to make the score 35-34 with 2 minutes left to play. The Chargers opted to go for 2 points. Quarterback Conor Ryan (7 for 12 for 72 yards) handed the ball off to Williams but he was stopped by the Gator offense before the goal line.
"I give their coach a lot of credit. He could of taken the tie and gone to overtime to see what would happen but he went after it," Ahsmann said. "Our guys battled and got the stop."
"We talked about winning the 4th quarter, we knew it was going to be close," said D-C coach Mike Steinhaus. "We didn't do that tonight. They made the plays and we didn't."
Leva opened CL South offense with a big gain. On the team's first play from scrimmage, he scored on a 60-yard pass from QB Luke Nolan (6 for 10 for 116 yards). Leva who had 2 completions for 72 yards, also rushed 71 yards on 11 carries.
The first quarter ended in a 7-7 tie after Iberra's first score, a 1-yard run.
The Chargers led 20-14 at the half on TDs by Iberra and Williams. Nolan ran 38 yards for the Gators' score.
CL South (1-4, 1-4) took a 28-20 lead in the third quarter on 9 and 1 yard runs by Michael Swiatly (16 carries for 96 yards).