Grayslake North nets share of FVC Fox title
If a relentless Woodstock North team with its season on the line wasn't ample reason for concern for Grayslake North, there sat Titus Booker. His left leg stretched across the Knights' bench with a bag of ice under his hamstring.
Turns out, all things were under control.
Grayslake North built a three-touchdown lead in the first quarter, thanks largely to Booker, and never let up against their opponent. Booker was in good shape too following the visiting Knights' 49-29 win that earned them a share of the Fox Valley Conference Fox Division championship with Prairie Ridge.
With its fifth win in its last six games, Grayslake North improved to 6-3 (5-1 FVC Fox). Woodstock North, which needed to win in order to earn an at-large berth into the playoffs, finished 4-5 and 4-2.
"That's a good team," Grayslake North coach Steve Wood said. "It's a shame they're not going to be in the playoffs."
Booker, who rushed for 247 of his 261 yards and all 3 TDs in the first half, should be ready to go next week for the opening round of the playoffs. He got hurt on the Knights' first series of the second half and did not return. By that point, Grayslake North led 35-14.
"I just did the splits on a play and (the hamstring) got stretched out a little bit," said Booker, who carried the ball 21 times in the first half and 24 for the game. "I'll be good. If it was a close game, I definitely would have been back in."
"I knew it was minor, but I don't like seeing that at all," quarterback Merrick Gentile said with a smile of Booker sitting on the bench. "He's tough. But I don't like seeing that."
Fortunately for Grayslake North, a strong start meant the Knights could be extra cautious with their Indiana-bound running back.
"We wanted to come in and execute, and that's what we did," Gentile said. "Props to (Woodstock North). They played tough."
Grayslake North scored on the opening series of the game, with a heavy dosage of Booker preceding Gentile's 19-yard TD strike to Brad Baker over the middle to cap a 9-play, 76-yard drive. Woodstock North came right back, as fullback Jordan Plummer (18 carries, 117 yards) busted off a 42-yard run down to the visitors 17. But the Thunder fumbled inside the 5 three plays later, and Mason McIntosh recovered for Grayslake North.
The Knights then went 99 yards on just 5 plays, as Booker turned the corner and sprinted 70 yards into the end zone.
"Probably going back 3-4 weeks, we changed our defensive philosophy," Wood said. "At the beginning (of the season) we were focusing on just getting off the field. Now we just want to make (the opposing offense) take another play. 'Don't give up the big one, and let them make a mistake.' That's kind of what happened."
When Grayslake North got the ball back, the Knights struck quickly again. Gentile's 18-yard pass to Eli Atwater in the corner of the end zone hiked the lead to 21-0 with 1:57 left in the opening quarter.
Woodstock North got one back on the first play of the second quarter, as Jeremy Haymond took a pitch and raced 57 yards into the end zone. But Booker scored on runs of 35 and 25 yards to make it 35-8, before Plummer plunged in from a yard out in the final minute of the first half.
Gentile accounted for both Grayslake North scores in the second half, scoring on runs of 2 and 27 yards.
"Practices have been 100 percent focused," Gentile said. "We want it. We want it more than we ever had. We're progressing."
Woodstock North's option offense generated 357 rushing yards, including 115 by Travis Busch. Busch and quarterback Jimmy Krenger each had second-half TD runs, but the Thunder defense couldn't keep up with the Knights.
"They're quick," said Krenger, who also played safety and had an interception. "They walked out on here with like 70 people. We have 30 and eight people going both ways. But they have some good athletes and a really good scheme, so it's hard to defend."