Jacobs 75, Larkin 58
If officials hadn't turned off the scoreboard at Elgin's Memorial Field around 10:30 p.m. Friday night, Jacobs and Larkin might still be scoring.
Visiting Jacobs outlasted Larkin 75-58 in a surreal nonconference game that approached state records while setting defense back decades in the process.
To say Jacobs ran through Larkin's defense like a hot knife through butter would be an insult to cutlery and dairy products the world over.
The Golden Eagles (1-1) racked up the following totals:
• 771 total yards. The state record is 826 total yards compiled by Belleville West in a 1942 game against Sparta.
• 618 rushing yards, shy of Belleville West's record of 699 in 1942.
• Three Golden Eagles rushed for over 100 yards: quarterback Kyle Magnuson (12 rushes, 100 yards), fullback Bobby Molinaro (11-130), and tailback Darius Bowers (19-235).
• Jacobs scored 8 rushing touchdowns, fifth most in one game in state history.
• Scoring 5 touchdowns was Bowers, who ran for scores of 32, 17, 25 and 14 yards and caught an 80-yard touchdown pass from Nathan Mohlman.
"Last week was a really poor display of our offense," Bowers said. "Our linemen did a really good job today in getting out and pulling so I could get outside. I give all my yards to my linemen."
Said Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter: "You just didn't know how many points were going to be enough. I'm just glad we came out on top. It could have gone the other way, believe me, because they have some weapons."
The 75 points allowed by Larkin is believed to be a record.
"We have to work on the techniques of tackling and fundamentals," Larkin coach Dave Bierman said of the defense. "I don't care what kind of scheme you run. We changed it up a little at halftime and at times it helped us, but there's times we had kids there to make the play and you've got to make the play."
Larkin fell behind 19-0, but The Royals fought back to within 33-30 on a 57-yard touchdown pass from Cam Kinley to Nick Bee with 5:58 left in the first half.
"We can do some damage offensively but, I mean, 75 points? We didn't even score that in basketball, so to give it up in a football game is pretty ridiculous. "
However, Bobby Molinaro and Bowers each scored again before intermission to push the lead to 48-30 at half.
Larkin got to within 61-52 on a 53-yard touchdown reception by Bee with 6:57 left in the fourth quarter, but touchdown runs by Bowers and Jon Szalonek put the game out of reach.
Kinley finished with impressive numbers in the loss: he completed 20-of-38 passes for 463 yards and 7 touchdowns -- the third most scoring passes in a game in state history.