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Glenbard South can't derail ICCP's special season

IC Catholic Prep and Glenbard South have had a history of close football games since they became Metro Suburban Conference rivals a few years ago.

Friday night's game broke from the norm.

IC Catholic scored two touchdowns in the first 1 minute, 24 seconds and rolled to a 50-0 MSC Blue Division victory in Glen Ellyn. The victory continued what has been a special season so far for the Knights (8-0, 4-0) with the promise of more to come.

"We've got a special group of players, and the work we put in each week in practice is showing up," said Knights center and defensive lineman Robert Vitek, noting ICCP will have a chance to complete a regular season undefeated for the first time when it plays Fenton next week.

The Knights clinched a share of their fourth conference title in five seasons with the win.

Trailing 15-0 in the first quarter, the Raiders (5-3, 3-1) drove to the ICCP 4-yard line. A Khalil Saunders interception, the second and final Raiders turnover of the night, ended the drive.

"Our defense is definitely a special thing," Vitek said.

The Raiders were held to 141 yards total offense in the shutout.

"That's a pretty explosive team," ICCP coach Bill Krefft said of Glenbard South. "We're just doing our job."

Instead of allowing a Glenbard South score, the Knights went 98 yards in seven plays to take a 22-0 lead. By halftime the lead reached 43-0, earning a running clock for the second half.

"Jumping on them early was definitely huge," Vitek said. "I think a key moment in the game was the goal-line stand back there."

Junior quarterback Luke Ricobene scored on a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs, finished the first half with a 45-yard TD pass to Khalil Saunders and ended his night early in the second half with an 8-yard scoring pass to Matt Sutton.

Senior running back Jordan Rowell carried the football 14 times for 160 yards and 3 touchdowns. He also caught 3 passes for 46 yards.

"The offensive staff does a great job of preparing those kids, and then our leaders Luke and Jordan, they're just outstanding," Krefft said. " ... Credit to the offensive line, though. They had the numbers that we wanted in terms of formation and they executed just like we wanted to.

"It's all the kids. The kids have just done an outstanding job of embracing their roles and doing their jobs and taking on the system and making it theirs. The kids are just a special group of kids."

The Raiders will try to bounce back for next week's regular-season finale against Riverside-Brookfield and a playoff berth that probably will follow.

"Really what goes into it," Raiders coach Ryan Crissey said, "when you get punched in the mouth early and often, you tell the kids, hey, this is a fight, your backs are against the wall. I don't want to see you turn away. I don't want to see you put yourself in a position where you've given up because you're getting beat up and down the field.

"We told the kids at halftime we're not going to win this football game, but my question is, can you win every rep? Can you win every series? Can you do as you've been coached to do? These types of games really show the character of a team."

Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz

Images: Glenbard South vs. IC Catholic Prep football

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