Scouts hold off Wauconda in a shootout
To say it was a wild first half between host Wauconda and Lake Forest would be a major understatement.
The host Bulldogs held a 13-7 lead over the Scouts after one quarter of this North Suburban Conference crossover football game before Lake Forest outscored Wauconda 28-27 in the second quarter to cut the lead to 40-35 at halftime.
The second half was a little more tame, but the Scouts would post a 65-52 NSC crossover victory as the teams combined for 1,155 yards in total offense in a nearly three-hour contest that featured 26 total penalties .
A 4-yard touchdown run by running back Sean Lichterman and a 5-yard TD by quarterback Garrett Dorsey (204 yards passing) gave the Bulldogs a brief 13-7 lead with 1:09 left in the first quarter, but the game went back and forth the entire first half.
Trailing 14-13, Lichterman's 1-yard TD run put Wauconda up 20-14 midway through the second quarter.
Lake Forest quarterback Tom Rees (428 yards passing) threw for 233 yards in the first half alone including a 99-yard TD strike to Connor Moutvic for a 21-20 lead right after Lichterman's second TD.
But Lichterman (194 yards rushing)would answer back with his third TD on a 4-yard run only to see Lake Forest's Eric Gerber somehow break away from the defense for a 50-yard TD run and a 28-27 lead.
Not to be upstaged, Dorsey went 80 yards on the ensuing kickoff for a 33-28 edge before poor tackling by the Bulldogs led to a 63-yard TD run by John Cavalaris for a 35-33 Scouts lead.
Then Dorsey would pull off his magic act again on the ensuing kickoff as he once again raced 80 yards before Mike Mrohen's extra point made the score 40-35 with 1:56 left in the second quarter.
Trailing 43-40, Dorsey zig-zagged his way to a 12-yard TD run for a 46-43 lead early in the third quarter but the Scouts would regain a 50-46 lead on a 3-yard TD run on their next possession.
A key roughing the punter penalty would cost Wauconda as David Head hauled in an 88-yard TD pass for a 57-46 lead with 11:47 to play.
Lichterman's 11-yard TD run cut the gap to 57-52 with 5:32 to play, but a 9-yard TD run by Lake Forest sealed the win with 2:30 to go.
"I'm proud of my kids, but I give Lake Forest credit and I take responsibility for this," said Wauconda coach Glen Kozlowski. "Lake Forest has a strong passing game and it was one of those nights where special teams came into play. The roughing the punter was a big play, but we have to get better on defense."
Gerber had 171 yards rushing while teammate John Cavalaris added 114 yards rushing. Lake Forest had 715 yards of total offense to 440 yards of offense for the Bulldogs.