Fox Valley Roundup: Lake Park holds off Conant 16-13
The damaging winds that burst through the Chicagoland area on Thursday would have had a difficult time breaking through Lake Park's defensive line.
The Lancers held the Conant offense to just 79 yards and saved their best for last in a 16-13 nonconference football victory Friday night at Feutz Field in Hoffman Estates.
"We rushed the quarterback when we had to. We played run well with the linebackers. It was a team effort," said Lake Park defensive coach Bob Nihells.
With the game knotted at 13 and less than a minute to play, the Lancers defense didn't just make a stand.
They made a play, hitting Conant quarterback Tom Houle in the backfield as he pitched the ball to his running back. Linebacker Chris Buonvolanto recovered the ball at the 30-yard line.
Peter Demars made his team a winner three plays later with his third field goal of the night from 28 yards with just 8.8 seconds left.
"I was hoping to God it went in," the junior kicker said of his game-winner. "It feels unbelievable."
The Lancers sacked Houle six times on the evening and held Conant to just nine yards in the first half. Still, Lake Park trailed 7-6 at the break.
"We knew we had to win. We had to come through," defensive end Salvador Acevedo said of his team's halftime discussion.
Acevedo came through immediately once play resumed, halting Conant's opening drive. The Cougars moved the ball all the way to the 35 before the 6-foot-1 linebacker took advantage of a Conant mistake and recorded the first of his two sacks on a 4th-and-2 play.
"Our motion got messed up five or six times tonight. On (that play) our motion messed up and cost us what I thought would have been a scoring drive," Conant coach Bill Modelski said.
The Cougars managed their only offensive touchdown of the evening on a 35-yard run from Houle.
"We were looking for that all game. Unfortunately we couldn't get it until the third quarter," Houle said.
Conant scored its first touchdown on a 35-yard interception return from sophomore Otto Linderman in the first quarter.
Lake Park tied it at 13-13 with 5:59 left on a 17-yard touchdown pass from sophomore Larry Nawrot (9-for-21, 118 yards) to junior Sean White.
Boys Soccer
CL South wins two: In its first game Crystal Lake South defeated Dixon 1-0 AT THE Rockford Auburn tournament. Jordan Innis scored the Gators' only goal unassisted in the first half of play. Zach Dalzell was in the net for Crystal Lake South and collected 3 saves.
In their second game the Gators beat Geneseo 2-0. Innis scored both of Crystal Lake South's goals, the first unassisted and the second assisted by both Mike McKenna and Jim Carlson.
Hampshire wins two: Hampshire beat Geneseo 3-2 in the Rockford Auburn Tournament. Junior Makinde scored the first goal for Hampshire and was assisted by Shay Hauck. Hauck then scored and was assisted by Jose Lopez. Hauck then scored again, this time assisted by Robert Murphy. Cameron Rath was in the goal from Hampshire and collected 8 saves.
In its second game Hampshire defeated Woodstock 3-0. Makinde scored all three of the Whip-Purs' goals and was assisted by Hauck, Lopez and Rath. Rath was in the goal again with 10 saves.
Men's soccer
Judson 3, Taylor University 1: The Judson men's soccer team kicked-off the 2007 season on a positive note defeating Taylor University via a 3-1 conclusion behind single goals from Leonardo Silva, Gustavo Oliveira and Mark Howlett as they host the Judson Tournament.
Both Oliveira and Howlett added two assists to the Eagle offensive attack. Kyle Selph defended goal for Judson.
Girls basketball
Cardunal League forming: The Cardunal Youth Basketball Association is again sponsoring a girls varsity level fall basketball league on Sunday afternoons starting in October. The league will go for four straight Sundays starting October 7 and ending October 28. Each team will play 2 games each Sunday. All games will be played at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville. Eight games are guaranteed for a cost of $500.
There is a maximum of 24 teams. The first 24 teams to send registration and payment will be guaranteed a spot. Four teams were turned away last year.
For further information and a registration form go to the league Web site at www.eteamz.com/cardunalbball, or contact Phil Tarrant at 847-428-3406 or e-mail: phil_tarrant@hotmail.com. Entry deadline is September 22.
-- Jen LaPorte, Sarah McCleary and Kayla Oranger contributed.