Lake Zurich KOs Fremd
Lake Zurich coach Bryan Stortz was interested to see how his young 2008 Bears football team would handle the first bit of adversity it would face in the season opener against Mid Suburban league power Fremd. He just didn't think his team would face it so soon.
On the opening kickoff of the season, Fremd junior Evan Wright took it back 90-yards for a touchdown, and before the defending Class 7A state champions had a chance to create an identity, they were down 7-0.
"We felt that the kids were mentally prepared to go tonight but in the end they are kids and you just don't know sometimes," Stortz said. "We just didn't know how the kids would respond in an adverse situation."
To say the Bears responded resoundingly might be an understatement. Lake Zurich answered on its very next series and just before half to hold off Fremd 33-21.
"When those kids were faced with adversity tonight, they responded," Stortz said. "I couldn't be more proud of how they handled the adversity and came right back and responded like they did."
Lake Zurich (1-0) followed up the Fremd kick return by marching 68 yards in only seven plays. Senior quarterback Tanner Witt took it in from 9 yards out and the Bears down just 7-6.
From there the vaunted Bears defense showed that some things do not change at Lake Zurich. Seniors Wade Self, Tony Pecho and John Brewer helped limit Fremd (0-1) to just 50 yards and 1 first down over the first 24 minutes.
Lake Zurich took the lead 13-7 just before halftime on the first of 3 touchdowns by senior Andrew Maloney.
"Once we started marching the ball we really felt like we could play with (Fremd)," said Maloney who tallied 51 yards on 14 carries.
Right after halftime Lake Zurich's defense got on the board when senior linebacker Ricky Erickson caught a tipped pass and returned it 44 yards for the score and a 20-7 Lake Zurich lead.
"The ball just kind of popped out of nowhere right into my arms," said Erickson of his first high school touchdown. "There was a huge hole right when I caught it and I just took off running."
Much like they did to open the game, Wright and the Vikings kick return team made it close again. Wright took the ensuing kickoff back 88 yards this time to trim the lead to just 20-14 late in the third quarter.
"I couldn't have done any of this without the guys blocking in front of me," Wright said. "They made it all possible. They made a big hole and I ran through it."
Wright's return also seemed to light a spark under the Vikings offense which had managed only 2 first downs through three quarters.
"We started to move the ball better in the second half," said senior quarterback Mike Tauchman said. "I know I was nervous at the start and it was hard to get into a good rhythm early."
Lake Zurich responded one last time after a short Tauchman touchdown run cut the lead to 26-21 with eight minutes to go in regulation.
Using its patented ground attack, the Bears ran the ball all 11 times on the ensuing drive capping it off with Maloney's third touchdown of the night with 2:30 left.
"When it came right down to it with the game on the line we didn't make plays defensively," Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said. "Did we hang in there? Yes we did. But we didn't get any turnovers and didn't make anything happen."