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Memorable win for Prospect

Playing their last game at George Gattas Memorial Stadium in Mt. Prospect, Prospect's seniors left with a night to remember.

Everyone on the team got into the Mid-Suburban East football game as the Knights rolled to a 48-0 triumph over visiting Elk Grove on Friday night.

Prospect quarterback Jimmy Martin had TD runs of 32 and 22 yards and running back Michael Shafis raced into the end zone from 44 and 23 yards out to help spark the Knights' biggest offensive game of the season.

The two juniors gave all the credit to the men up front, a group including sophomore Caleb Smith, sophomore Sebastian Swistak, senior Brennan Keane, senior Ty Lussow, junior Mitch Kamp and senior Jack Heiss.

"It was entirely the offensive line" said Shafis who scooted for 164 yards on 14 carries. "They just moved people and I ran straight forward. I'm really proud of them."

The offensive line played a fantastic game," Martin added. "They moved the kine of scrimmage and we just pounded the ball. And it was great to see a bunch of guys who don't play much get in the ballgame after our starters got the job done."

Also getting into the end zone were junior Jack Kazmer (recovered senior Yash Thakkar's blocked punt), sophomore Jonathan Friedrichs (10 yard run which began running clock with 11:55 left in the game) and junior Anthony Santangelo (16-yard run).

"The rushing game did well," said Prospect coach Mike Sebestyen. "It would have been nice if we could have completed a few more passes (1-for-7) but it wasn't for a lack at quarterback. We dropped a few tonight, a couple that could have been touchdowns."

But the Knights (3-5, 2-2) were finding the end zone rushing with regularity.

That's something they did when they had a standout quarterback by the name of Miles Osei, who was making his first visit back to his alma mater as Elk Grove's head coach.

Unfortunately, he did not have senior quarterback/wide receiver Tyler Selvig, who had played in every game until an injury the previous week.

"I think it's tough to go out this way," Osei said. "We really couldn't move the ball offensively and that comes back to me. I've got to do a better job preparing the team. We've got a shot in every game we play. We've just got to fight all four quarters."

Prospect junior Michael Cima fought hard on defense, making three tackles for losses while sophomore Adam Mekky also got into the Grenadiers' (0-8, 0-4) backfield for a couple of sacks.

"This was really special for us," Heiss said. "Not winning at home all season kind of didn't go too well with me. So just seeing this atmosphere with the black-out and it being our final home game, I just felt we needed to win and we did what we had to do."

Sebestyen believes Osei will do what he has to do at Elk Grove.

"Miles has already done a great job trying to get them to understand the system he is putting in and what he is trying to accomplish," said Sebestyen, who was the offensive coordinator at Prospect when Osei was a junior and senior. "He is great football coach. Just watching what he does systematically and what he is trying to accomplish is really good.

"And as good a coach as he is, he is a better person. If I could ever have my children follow a role model, it would be Miles and what he does. So I am real exited to see how he continues to grow that program."

Sebestyen's seniors have one more game left in his program, a date with MSL East leader Hersey on Friday in Arlington Heights.

"This was a good way for our seniors to finish," Sebestyen said. "We were able to get everyone in the ballgame. It was nice to be able to have all those kids who spent four years in the program get a chance to play.

"We have only 15 seniors. Some guys who hadn't even played in a varsity game got a chance tonight to play a little and get involved so it was fun to see them finish at home this way."

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