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Prospect lights up scoreboard vs. Maine West

Prospect's Homecoming fans waited out a rain and lightning delay in Mount Prospect and then were treated to a thunderous offensive explosion by their football team on Friday night.

With its entire side of bleachers packed to capacity, Prospect put on one of its all-time greatest performances in a half scoring all of the game's points in the first 24 minutes in a 50-0 triumph over Maine West before a hyped-up crowd at George Gattas Stadium.

"I think that's the biggest crowd I've seen here," said Prospect coach Dan DeBoeuf who is also the school's athletic director. "It was an awesome crowd and an awesome atmosphere. It's just nice to be playing football in the fall again."

And his team was playing well on both sides of the ball, as the Knights' defense kept their pressure on the Warriors all evening,

Prospect hardly showed any rust from the delayed 8 p.m. start (scheduled for 7 p., m.) as it marched 80 yards on the first drive, capped by senior Matt Raitano's 4-yard TD run with 9:13 on the clock.

"They did a great job (handling the delay), " DeBoeuf said. "We just stayed loose inside (the field house), kind of spent some time together and stayed relaxed. We came out and went a little longer for warmups just to make sure they were fully ready to go, and they were."

No one would argue that, as the Knights (3-1) needed less than 30 plays from scrimmage to score 50 points in less than 20 minutes.

Raitano also scored the Knights' final TD on a 28-yard run with 5:15 left in the second quarter.

"It was great to get my first two touchdowns," said Raitano, who gained 50 yards in 3 carries. "I really wanted to get into the end zone. That was fun."

Raitano's 2 TDs bookended the Knights' 5 other TDs.

Those included quarterback Frank Covey's 28-yard run, Owen Walter's' 61-yard reception from Covey, Jacob Parisi's 8 and 43-yard catches from Covey and Gavin Flanagan's 42-yard run.

Covey was 9 of 12 for 188 yards and rushed for 67 yards.

Brad Versneisel ran in the 2-point conversion following Raitano's first TD.

Defensive lineman Ben Sahakian, among a handful of Knights with sacks, then kicked 6 straight extra points.

"That's a very good football team," said Maine West coach George Klupchak. "They stuck it to us. Hats off to them.

"I told our kids that our focus will be on being the best we can absolutely be, and that was our focus in the second half. At times, we were that.

"We are just going to roll into the next week with that very same attitude. It's about reaching our full potential and finding it, wherever it is. We are now 1-3 and we haven't hit our full potential. We're going to keep striving for it. We have another opportunity next week in practice and next Friday night for Homecoming (vs. Maine East) and I know our guys are going to be excited for the opportunity.

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