Vernon Hills comes up big
Vernon Hills' football team kept losing players as rapidly as it was scoring points.
By halftime of the Cougars' game against visiting Round Lake on Friday night, one defensive starter had his shoulder pads off, by rule, after earning an ejection thanks to two personal-foul penalties. Another defensive starter was on crutches.
And by game's end, three other Cougars were out of the game with injuries.
The Cougars won anyway, 49-21, to remain undefeated and clinch a playoff berth, but it sure didn't feel like a blowout victory to celebrate homecoming.
Vernon Hills, which committed 15 penalties, improved to 6-0, including 3-0 in the North Suburban Prairie Division, heading into next Friday night's showdown at Antioch, which also is 6-0, 3-0 after beating previously undefeated Grant 28-14.
Vernon Hills built a 37-0 lead late in the first half, but never increased its margin to 40 points to commence a running clock.
"We wanted to get that running clock and make a statement going into our matchup with Antioch," said linebacker/running back Brian Smith, who caught a touchdown pass, ran for one and was active on defense all night. "But we came out and we got a victory, and that's really what matters. It feels good to have a playoff spot clinched, and now we just have to be ready to go for the rest of the season."
The good news for the Cougars was that none of the aches and pains seemed major.
"I think it's just a cold night," Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said. "I think if the game's out of reach, I think you don't play as hard, and that's when you get injured. Hopefully we get everybody healed up for next week."
The Cougars jumped out to a 23-0 lead after one quarter against Round Lake (0-6, 0-4). DaVaris Daniels turned a PJ Marsek screen pass into a 55-yard TD pass on Vernon Hills' first possession of the game. Eric Oberwise's 9-yard return of James Koukoulis' blocked punt made it 14-0. Smith, with the help of a couple of teammates, sacked Panthers QB Matt Ortiz in the end zone for a safety, and when Daniels took a pitch from Marsek and raced 8 yards into the end zone, it was 23-0.
Long touchdown runs by Seb Evans (35 yards) and Marsek (78 yards) made it 37-0 with 3:31 left in the first half.
But Ortiz scored from 18 yards out on third-and-18, and the Panthers got a pair of second-half TD runs from sophomore running back John Strickland.
Next Friday, Vernon Hills faces dangerous running back Cameron White of Antioch.
"This is a different offense from what we'll see next week," Monken said. "Tonight, you get a big lead and I think you let up a little bit. We've played good defense all year. The challenge (next week) will be more about White than it will be about us getting better - are we athletic enough defensively to stop him."
Round Lake coach John Coursey continues to stress commitment, accountability and responsibility in his first season.
"I have yet to have what I think is our best 11 guys on the field," said Coursey, who had a senior miss the bus Friday. "It's through suspensions, discipline, all those things. I'm not taking anything away from Vernon Hills. They're a very good football team. But we don't even know what kind of team we can be because we can't get the best 11 guys on the field. Until we learn those things, we're going to struggle."