Benet 3, Notre Dame 0

With no playoff or East Suburban Catholic Conference ramifications, Benet had nothing to lose.

So on their senior night, the Redwings won.

Benet on Friday beat playoff-bound Notre Dame 3-0 on Kevin Kron's 31-yard field goal with 25.9 seconds left before halftime in Lisle.

Arriving at Benedictine University some seven minutes before halftime -- he played in Benet's 1-0 regional soccer win over Batavia -- Kron booted his second game-winning field goal and sixth overall.

The lefty kicker admitted to nerves before splitting the north end zone uprights, out of a hold by Jimmy Riley from Phil Dukleth's snap.

"We won our soccer game, so I was still a little ecstatic about that," Kron said. "Both games were just amazing."

Like the defense. Benet (3-6, 3-4) had allowed an average of 33 points but held Notre Dame's no-huddle, spread offense to 129 yards.

Benet sacked Notre Dame quarterback Zach Abraham 4 times and intercepted him 4 times. Cornerback Emmett Carrier picked off 2.

"We haven't faced a team that throws the ball probably 75 percent of the time, so it was a really good challenge for the defensive backs, and I think we really stepped up to it," said Carrier, calling his career finale "bittersweet."

Defensive end Pete Schimeck said, "Most of the sacks were coverage sacks because they were covering those guys like crazy. It was awesome."

Linebacker James East's interception led to Kron's field goal. East capitalized on linemen John Schulz and Nick Robertson flushing Abraham, who finished 24 of 48 for 127 yards.

"Last year (against Notre Dame) I had an interception on a similar play," East said. "The quarterback rolled out last year, same thing this year. So I was just in the right position at the right time."

Late in the third quarter, Notre Dame (6-3, 4-3) got stuffed by linebacker Dan Schroeder on fourth-and-3 at the Benet 34. On the Dons' next series Greg Lucchesi's 51-yard catch to the Benet 7 was negated by penalty.

Notre Dame's last-gasp halfback pass by coach Mike Hennessey's son, Eric, was defended by Carrier and Jason Wirth, who had intercepted a pass earlier.

"The game of football is won and lost on the line of scrimmage, and I think across the board they played a more physical, tougher game," Mike Hennessey said.

Redwings coach Gary Goforth was bursting with praise after Benet's first shutout since Week 9 in 2005.

"I think across the board tonight, everybody stepped up and did something."