Lake Zurich picks up postseason momentum
You think Lake Zurich is ready for the playoffs?
It took exactly four plays on Friday night to put the host Bears (7-2) up by 3 touchdowns - a 33-yard dash by Joey Stutzman; on the next play a pitch and catch from quarterback Evan Lewandowski to Matthijs Enters for a 17-yard TD pass, and one offensive play later, sophomore Jason Sayer scored his first varsity touchdown from 15 yards out.
It was 28-0 two plays later. Lewandowski (5-8, 142 yards) hit Austin Matuszewski on a 33-yard strike. Lewandowski went 10 yards on the next play and the romp was on.
Mundelein back Aaron Woolford led all rushers with 154 yards and two scores. But this was Lake Zurich's night as the Bears rolled 56-13.
"We are a playoff team at 0-0,'' Lewandowski said. "But this program is back on track. We just need to keep on working."
There were a number of heroes on the Lake Zurich side. Receiver Alex Miller caught a 43-yard TD pass, also in the 35-point first quarter.
However, he also contributed defensively. He intercepted a Mundelein pass and took off for the end zone before being toppled at the 4. Stutzman took the next carry the final 4 yards.
"The game plan was to get better on every play,'' Miller said. "I got a great block from Michael Bertoia on my interception but I was very disappointed I didn't score on that play."
Sayre, a linebacker, scored on runs of 15 and 64 yards.
"They gave me an opportunity and let me run the ball tonight,'' Sayre said. "I was very happy about that. Those were my first two touchdowns for the varsity."
Yes, after one quarter, these Bears were on pace to score 140 points.
It was 49-0 at halftime and the running clock clicked in during the third quarter. In addition to the Sayre gallop for a TD, backup tailback, Joey Dreiling, scored from 3 yards out before halftime.
The third quarter opened as Jake Stevens bolted 71 yards for the Bears' final score of the night.
The rest of the night belonged to the senior back, Woolford. He scored on TD runs of 23 and 27 yards.
"That's football,'' Woolford said. "Things happen. But I had fun in my last season."
Lake Zurich was able to rest most its starters during the game. Stutzman, a 1,000-yard rusher, carried just three times. Dreiling filled in admirably and collected 80 yards on 14 carries. Lewandowski handed off the controls of the team to Jarred Winandy.
Mundelein, too, changed quarterbacks. Anthony Norris (6-11-81 yards), was replaced by Abram Nazario.
"We've had a fun time,'' Lewandowski said. "We got through it. But now the season doesn't matter."