Schaumburg 32, Buffalo Grove 17

It had all the makings of a game that would go down to the wire. Both defenses played a stellar first half of football that saw both bend but neither break Friday.

When play resumed, Schaumburg was clinging to a 2-point lead over Buffalo Grove.

And then things changed.

"Momentum. That's it," Schaumburg defensive back Alex Coglianese said.

Schaumburg rode the momentum created by Coglianese's 29-yard punt return just after the break to a 32-17 Mid-Suburban League crossover victory at BG.

Actually, the Saxons rode it to the max.

Schaumburg (1-2) scored 20 points and created 4 turnovers in the decisive period. The Saxons were led by Mick Trimarco's career-high 4 touchdown runs and 176 yards rushing.

The running back was already having a great game before scoring the first two times he carried the ball in the second half. He later added a third touchdown in the quarter.

"The defense got us the ball and then the O-line got everyone moving. I just made the right cuts and finished the runs," Trimarco said.

But it wasn't just the offense doing damage for the Saxons.

"That's the best synergy we've seen between our offense and defense," Saxons coach Mark Stilling said.

The Saxons forced the Bison to turn over the ball on 4 of their 5 third-quarter possessions.

"It was just (all) out. It was all going after the ball, the whole team," said Coglianese, who had 2 interceptions in the quarter.

Facing a BG rushing attack that produced Josh Hampton's 366 yard explosion last week, the Saxons knew what they had to do.

"We knew he was going to get the football, but we weren't going to do anything special to stop him except for to tackle the right way," Stilling said.

Linebacker Scott Falkner led a Schaumburg defense that held Hampton to a mere 60 yards on 14 carries. The senior did have help, though.

"Our defensive line kept him clean all night," Stilling said. "One of the deals is that our defensive line needs to keep people off our linebackers. I saw him making play after play without even shedding blocks."

Quarterback Cody Logsdon added a 36-yard touchdown run. The Bison (1-2) were led by Caleb Farina's 78 yards receiving with a touchdown reception. Chris Hulings added a 3-yard touchdown run late in the game.

But it wasn't enough.

"That is a classic example of a football team that got thoroughly outplayed on both sides of the ball," BG coach Rich Roberts said.