Buffalo Grove 12, Rolling Meadows 10
Buffalo Grove knew if it was going to upset the Class 7A No. 1 team Rolling Meadows it would have to come out swinging, and that is exactly what the Bison did Friday.
Buffalo Grove's physical defense limited Meadows to 135 total yards, while junior running back Josh Hampton rushed for 138 on 22 carries, including a 55-yard scoring run in a thrilling 12-10 Mid-Suburban East victory that spoiled Rolling Meadows' homecoming.
"We felt the game was going to be decided up front," said BG coach Rich Roberts whose team's upset threw the East title race up in the air between the Bison, Meadows, and Wheeling. "Defensively our line set the tone early."
BG (4-4, 3-1) defensive linemen Alan Baxter, John Pischak, Joey Deligio, and Kevin Alvarez held the Mustangs, minus Mikel Johnson, to 21 yards rushing and minus-3 yards in the first half.
"Our coach told us in practice we have to hit them in the beginning, starting with the first play," added Baxter of the physical front four.
That's what the defense did, forcing three three-and-outs in the first half and a key interception by senior Fred Cornely.
"The number one thing is they came out and were much more physical," said Meadows coach Doug Millsaps, "especially the D-line. We had no run game to speak of, we couldn't get anything going."
Senior quarterback John Bakun found Paul Timko for a 14 yard score giving the Bison a 6-0 lead with 9:45 remaining in the second quarter.
Meadows (7-1, 3-1) took advantage of a personal foul which gave it the ball on the BG 26. Ben Sabal finding Ty Kirk for a 4-yard score with 53 seconds left in the half and a 7-6 lead.
BG answered on its first possession of the second half as Hampton scampered 55-yards down the right sideline for a 12-7 lead.
The offensive line of Mark Damisch, Joey Busse, Zach Wodka, Matt Rosenberg, and Kalen Ern opened enough holes for 206 rushing yards.
"We wanted to set the tone early and just dominate," said center Wodka, whose fellow offensive lineman Busse recovered a fumble midway through the third quarter after a Mustang interception, allowing the Bison to sidestep disaster at their 10.
Meadows narrowed the margin to 12-10 on a 27-yard field goal by Kevin Serna early in the fourth quarter and seemed poised to pull off the comeback with the ball on the Bison 22 with more than 3½ minutes left.
But once again the BG defense answered as Sean McCourt's interception ended the threat and the Bison ran out the clock.
"That play had been opened before," said Sabal. "I just didn't put enough air under it."
"We came out fighting hard," added Bakun. "They're a good team and we have a lot of respect for them, but we just came out on top."