Schaumburg 31, Elk Grove 28
It was like the old story of the tortoise versus the hare.
Elk Grove, with the appropriate green jerseys, green pants and helmets were the tortoises and Schaumburg were the hares.
The Grenadiers (0-4) were methodical in their offensive attack. They pounded the ball down the Saxons throats, dominating possession and compiling 23 first downs in an impressive performance.
The race would come down to the wire. However, it would be the hares, otherwise known as the Saxons, who would win the race 31-28 thanks to speedster quarterback-kicker Cody Logsdon's game-winning 26-yard field goal with five seconds remaining in the game.
It was Logsdon, who finished with 132 rushing yards, including a 70-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, who hurried the Saxons (2-2) down the field in less than a minute after Grenadier quarterback Bryan Bathauer completed a touchdown pass to a wide open Matthew Boudas to tie the Mid-Suburban League crossover at 28-28.
After an incomplete pass, Logsdon ran a bootleg and streaked down the right sideline for 44 yards. On the next play, Logsdon found fellow speed demon, running back Mick Trimarco open for a dumpoff pass
Trimarco, who had burned the Grenadiers' defense all night for 110 total yards, caught the ball and turned what should have been a minimal gain into a 32-yard burst down the center of the field, setting up the game-winning field-goal.
"It was the most amazing thing in my life," Logsdon said. "They had trust in me to get it done."
When asked if he thought his leg might be too sore to kick a field goal after all the running he did, Logsdon simply smiled and shook his head.
"I was a little sore, but all I could think about was making it," he said.
The Elk Grove fans cheered its team after the loss in appreciation of the effort.
The Grenadiers trailed 21-6 at halftime, but they did not change their game plan in the second half. They continued to pound the ball and eat up as much clock as they could, and the strategy seemed to be working.
Elk Grove put together an eight-minute drive led by Cory Laga (132 yards rushing). The drive was capped off with a 19-yard touchdown run by Bathauer.
On its next offensive possession, Elk Grove turned to workhorse running back Kevin McDonald (139 yards), who broke off a 37-yard run. Laga then followed with an 18-yard run and Bathauer finished things with a 4-yard scamper into the end zone. The Saxons' lead had been trimmed to 21-20 after Laga's successful 2-point conversion.
"We made adjustments today," said Elk Grove coach Tom Whalen. "We made great strides from last week. There is just a winner and a loser every night."
The Saxons response was immediate. On the ensuing kickoff, Trimarco returned the ball 80 yards for a touchdown as he flashed down the sidelines untouched.
"I knew that I needed to be a leader and turn things up. I saw a gap and made a cut and it was off to the races. It helped turn the game around and showed that we can win close games," Trimarco said.