Dorosan dominant for Antioch
In Antioch's offense, dives up the middle by fullback Nick Dorosan usually set up the big gains from wingback Griffin Hill.
On Friday at Grant, it wasn't exactly role reversal. Dorosan was still getting tough yards up the middle, but he was piling them up in large chunks. Dorosan rushed for 148 yards on 21 carries as the Sequoits rolled to a 35-14 victory in the North Suburban Prairie.
"It felt really great the whole season getting all the dirty yards, putting in all the hard work and finally getting rewarded," said Dorosan, a senior who has been playing fullback most of his football life. "It's a great feeling. You've just got to keep running."
Hill got Antioch (5-4. 3-3) on the board with a 61-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. But he was held in check, otherwise, finishing with 70 yards on 12 carries.
The Sequoits threw the ball well with sophomore quarterback Brandon Gallimore, and Dorosan turned out to be the best offensive option, running behind an offensive line of Nate Novack, Jared Bolton, Josh Gillcrist, Ben Hermes and Cameron Norris.
"We always say, 'the life of a fullback,'" Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. "You've got to run inside there. There were a lot of plays where he got yards after contact. You see him spinning, putting his head down. He's been solid all year for us. As banged up as we've been and he's playing one of the most physically demanding positions. He just grinds it out. The kid's just a grinder, a tough kid.
Glashagel credited Hill with a solid effort on defense, helping keep Grant's explosive wide receiver, Kemar Miller without a catch.
The Sequoits stayed alive for a spot in the state playoffs, but it looks like a long shot because they're low on playoff points.
"It's a little frightening not knowing what's going to happen, if we're going to go to the playoffs or not," Dorosan said. "We had a great season fighting through adversity and it was a good way to go out tonight."
Antioch jumped to a quick 14-0 lead after Hill's long run was followed by a 40-yard sprint by Nick Andre on a reverse. Grant (2-7, 2-5) recovered a pair of fumbles, though, and tied the score at 14-14 on a couple of TD runs from sophomore running back Kenyon Jones.
The Sequoits used a 43-yard pass from Gallimore to Ian Flatley to set up Gallimore's go-ahead touchdown run with 2:43 left before halftime. Antioch dominated the second half, limiting Grant's offense to just a single first down.
At 2-7, Grant finished with its worst record in 18 years. The Bulldogs posted their third straight losing season after going to the playoffs seven times in eight years from 2005-12.