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Vernon Hills pulls together, prevails at Nazareth

Max effort came not just from Max Lyle.

A team effort has been Vernon Hills' game plan all season. And the Cougars needed another one Saturday to oust defending state champ Nazareth on its home field in a Class 5A second-round game and earn a state quarterfinal berth, which is rare for them.

"It's a true team effort," Vernon Hills coach Bill Bellecomo said of his squad's success. "I think those are the teams that go far in the playoffs. We have a bunch of kids who contribute. We got a bunch of guys who have been playing together since sixth grade, fifth grade, and they love each other."

Vernon Hills is loving this: The Cougars' 10-2 win over Nazareth in LaGrange Park has them back in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2010 and just the third time overall in their 17-year history. No. 7 Vernon Hills (8-3) will next host No. 14 Marian Central (7-4), likely next Saturday afternoon, although no date or time has been confirmed.

"We're putting us back on the map," Cougars defensive end/offensive tackle Camden Anderson said.

Anderson had 1 of 5 fumble recoveries for Vernon Hills defense, which also got an interception from Nick Marras, and he also recovered a fumble on offense.

"We were just flying to the ball on defense and getting a lot of hats in there," Anderson said. "I was just in the right place and pursued."

Lyle, a defensive back/wide receiver, scored the game's only touchdown and came up huge defensively in the second half with 2 fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. The junior, who transferred to Vernon Hills his freshman year from Michigan, has been quite the pickup for the Cougars.

"It wasn't bad," Bellecomo said, smiling.

Up 10-0 thanks to Lyle's 25-yard TD catch from Kyle Hull in the first quarter and Andre Szmyt's 45-yard field goal in the second quarter, Vernon Hills turned the ball over on 1 of Hull's 4 interceptions midway through the third.

No. 15 Nazareth (6-5), which won the Class 5A state title last year and captured the Class 6A championship in 2014, moved the ball to the 1. But on third down, Lyle recovered a fumble at the 3 to keep the Roadrunners off the scoreboard.

On the next snap, Nazareth's Isaiah Lee sacked Hull in the end zone for a safety, cutting Vernon Hills' lead to 10-2 with 2:49 left in the third.

Kyle Fasbinder's recovery of a fumble thwarted one Nazareth possession in the fourth quarter, but Vernon Hills' offense couldn't capitalize. Nazareth had one final try late, and converted a fourth-and-13 from its own 16 thanks to a 33-yard completion from Bobby Grimes to Devin Blakely. But on the next play, Grimes caught a pass and was stripped by Lyle, who secured the ball before it even hit the turf.

"That was the first time I've done it this year," Lyle said. "I've always tried to get those hustle turnovers, just do anything for the team."

Vernon Hills' offense ran out the remaining 2:26 on the clock to secure its win. The Cougars won despite committing 5 turnovers themselves. Nazareth's Jermaine Baker intercepted Hull three times. Vernon Hills' first 2 possessions of the game ended in a lost fumble and deflected interception, both in the red zone. Hull (17-of-27 passing, 181 yards) hit Lyle in stride from 25 yards out to open the scoring.

"We had a good game plan going in," Bellecomo said. "I thought we could get that quick start."

Vernon Hills' defense did what it has done all season. The Cougars have allowed just 136 points in 11 games.

"They fly around," Bellecomo said. "They're not big. They're just tough kids."

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