Frank Covey of Prospect reaches to catch an end zone pass Friday at Elk Grove High School.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
After a heartbreaking loss to Hersey in a Mid-Suburban League showdown last week, Prospect's football team had just one thing on its mind at Elk Grove on Friday night.
"We just wanted to get that bad taste out of our mouths," said Prospect QB Brad Vierneisel. "We just wanted to get back on track."
The Knights offense started things out like a track meet scoring 21 unanswered points in the first quarter before claiming a 35-21 triumph over the relentless Grenadiers, who made it interesting to the end.
Vierneisel threw for 295 yards, including 189 to Northwestern commit Frank Covey as Prospect improved to 5-1 and 1-1 in the MSL East.
Grens senior quarterback Mitchell Janczak threw for 246 yards, including 137 to classmate Garrett Ewen.
Elk Grove, also 5-1 and 1-1, got to within 28-21 when Sebastian Halilovic scored a TD on an 8-yard run with 4:19 left in the third quarter.
But Covey's 5-yard TD run with 10:18 left in the game closed out the scoring.
"It was really big to get this win tonight," said Covey, who made 10 catches, one in a beautiful 63-yard play in which he caught the ball near the right sideline and then made a sparkling cutback move to the middle of the field.
"We wanted to make this game more about ourselves and being the best we can."
Covey also caught a 33-yard TD pass which made it 14-0 after Viernesel's 7-yard TD run on the game's opening possession had made it 7-0.
"I felt in the first half we did a lot better than last week," added Viernesel, who was working behind linemen Vincent Salerno, Malachi Tolliver, Andrew Heiss, Chance Rolfe and Olasubomi Sulaimon. "But then we got sloppy again in the second half."
Both teams scored 14 points in the second half.
Prospect's other second half TD was an 8-yard run by Flanagan (80 yards rushing) that put the Knights ahead 28-14.
Halilovic scored all three touchdowns for EG, which also got a big second-half interception from Daryl Hunt in the red zone.
No. 72 Vincent Salerno is on defense for the Knights. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Sideline action. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
No. 6, Frank Covey of the Prospect High School Knights celebrates the touchdown. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Left, for the Grenadiers. No. 77 Mikey Milovich is on defense. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Celebrating for the Knights is No. 19 Nick Carlucci. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
No. 13 is the Knights quarterback celebrating. On right is No. 66 Olasubomi Sulaimon. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Far right, No. 85 for the Grens is Carter Bourget. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Wiktoria Bardzik, 17, of Elk Grove Village is an Elk Grove Village High School senior performing with the flags. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
The Knights currently have the ball. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
During the national anthem, third from right is Lara Penar, 14, an Elk Grove High School freshman from Elk Grove Village. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
Catching the pass for the Knights is No. 2 wide receiver Jake Parisi. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald
The Grens currently have the ball. Images from varsity football action at Elk Grove High School on Sept. 30, 2022.
Karie Angell Luc/for the Daily Herald