Elgin improves, but not enough
Most football coaches will tell you that special teams often decides games.
West Aurora showed exactly why Friday night.
Markus Cocroft returned a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown to break open a 1-point game as the Blackhawks defeated Elgin, 41-26, at Memorial Field in a renewal of the state's third oldest high school footb all rivalry, one that began in 1895.
"Every time we get a kickoff or kick return we look to score," Cocroft said. "That's what (assistant coach Mike Powers) tell us. Special teams can change the game."
The Maroons' Jamal Cook scored on a 13-yard run, his third touchdown of the game, with 7:04 remaining in the third quarter. But a bad snap on the PAT attempt allowed West Aurora to hold onto a 21-20 lead.
On the ensuing kickoff, Cocroft scampered 81 yards down the left sideline for a touchdown as the Blackhawks (2-0) took a 28-20 lead.
Elgin got one first down on its next possession before having to punt. Cocroft fielded the punt at his own 24, started up the middle, cut left, then cut back to the middle, and outran the Maroons for a 76-yard score. The Blackhawks were unable to convert the PAT, but led 34-20. They scored twice in less than 2 1/2 minutes without running an offensive play.
"(Cocroft) has a little bit of a gift for it," Blackhawks coach Buck Drach said. "Every time he does it, and I think it's true for any kick returner, the more confident and the more comfortable they get."
A bad snap on a punt on the Maroons' next possession gave the Blackhawks the ball on Elgin's 27. One the first play of the fourth quarter, Garrett Rivers ran the ball in from one yard out as West Aurora went up 41-20.
Elgin senior quarterback Tom Roth connected on his third long touchdown pass, this one a 30-yarder to Tim Newcombe, with 6:32 remaining in the game to cut the deficit to 41-26.
"I thought our play was better today than last week (a 47-25 loss at Plainfield Central)," said Elgin coach Dave Bierman, who was coaching in his first game at Memorial Field as his alma mater's head coach. "There were some improvements from last week. But we have to get a lot better a lot sooner."
Roth, who connected with Cook for 34-yard and 46-yard touchdowns in the first half, was 15-of-35 passing for 236 yards with 3 touchdowns and an interception. Cook had 4 catches for 110 yards and rushed six times for 62 yards, scoring 3 times.
Leon Spears had 118 yards rushing, 95 in the first half, on 21 carries for the Blackhawks, who also got a 29-yard kickoff return from Josh Zinzer late in the first half that led to the go-ahead score after Elgin tied the game at 14-14. Cocroft added 3 receptions for 66 yards and a touchdown. John Nunnally was 7-of-11 for 120 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also scored on a 3-yard touchdown to help West Aurora overcome two turnovers on its opening two possessions.