Lake Zurich's gain is Libertyville's loss
The last time Lake Zurich's football team lost back-to-back games John Brewer couldn't grow facial hair.
Well, it had been a while anyway.
The last time Libertyville was 0-3?
Never.
Well, never under head coach Randy Kuceyeski anyway.
Yet, just four years removed from an undefeated season and Class 7A state championship, Libertyville finds itself winless through three weeks after Lake Zurich defeated the visiting Wildcats 17-7 in the two teams' North Suburban Conference Lake Division opener Friday night.
Lake Zurich (2-1) was coming off a 26-7 defeat at Wheaton North. The Bears haven't lost consecutive games since 2005.
"We were really disappointed after last week's loss," said the gruffy-faced Brewer, a 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior defensive tackle who looks older than his age, and plays like it. "We just wanted to get back at it and get to work. Get better."
Led by a defense featuring veterans Brewer, Wade Self and Tony Pecho, Lake Zurich limited Libertyville to 50 yards rushing and 44 passing. After Brewer recorded a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovery on one play early in the fourth quarter, Libertyville never registered another first down.
"Mental mistakes are killing us," said Wildcats fullback/linebacker Nate Johnson. "We got to get our offense going because the defense is always stout. If you can't move the ball on offense then you're not going to score any points."
Libertyville took advantage of a muffed punt by Lake Zurich in the opening quarter to grab a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Matt Persin's 8-yard touchdown pass to James Zotto capped a drive that started at the Lake Zurich 19.
The Bears pulled even on Tom Flaherty's 8-yard TD run in the second quarter and grabbed the lead just before halftime when QB Tanner Witt tossed a 1-yard scoring pass to the 6-foot, 215-pound Self, who was inserted in the backfield as part of the Bears' goal-line package.
Max Methling's 20-yard field goal in the third quarter provided Lake Zurich's final points.
"I was very happy with the way that the kids responded after the way we performed last week," Lake Zurich coach Bryan Stortz said. "We came out and played the way that we expect them to play."
Andrew Maloney led the way for Lake Zurich on the ground, rushing for 101 yards. Flaherty finished with 61 rushing yards, while Witt passed for 117 yards.
"The most disturbing thing today was they outhit us," Kuceyeski said. "They were more physical than we were, and we did not respond. They pretty much ran anything they wanted to run at us on the ground and we couldn't stop it. About the only time we got a stop was by a penalty or incomplete pass. Very rarely did we stop them."