Grayslake North spoils Woodstock North's debut
History was made at Grayslake North on Friday night, as the Knights won their second game in the history of the school by defeating Woodstock North 22-6 in a Fox Valley Conference Fox Division football game.
This was Woodstock's North first-ever varsity football game.
It was also Grayslake North's first game on its new synthetic turf.
"Our defense played absolutely awesome," said Grayslake North coach Steve Wood, whose Knights were winless last season. "Over the last couple of years, that's been our Achilles' heel and we played really well tonight. I'm proud what (our team) did. Woodstock North played tough. They could have easily rolled over and died and didn't."
Grayslake North held Woodstock North to only 47 rushing yards and 26 passing yards.
"Our kids played tough tonight,'" Woodstock North coach Jeff Schroeder said. "Obviously, we have the youngest team (no seniors) and the fewest kids and that's all we want to do is play as tough as we can play."
Grayslake North scored on the game's first play from scrimmage, as Glenn Mizowek took a handoff and sped around the right end for 76 yards. Quarterback Matt Robinson threw to Hector Silva for the 2-point conversion.
"Everyone executed fine," said Mizowek, a returning starter. "It was a jet play, our linemen blocked it out and I took it all the way down for 6. Everybody played well.
"It's my first win," Mizowek added. "Emotions are crazy tonight."
Grayslake North added two touchdowns in the fourth quarter to take a 22-0 lead.
Ross Sauer took a handoff and ran up the middle for a 40-yard touchdown on the first play of the fourth quarter. Four minutes later, Brandon Sackett scored from 40 yards out on a sweep.
The Thunder made it to the scoreboard late in the fourth quarter. Tyler Pichen will go down as throwing Woodstock North's first touchdown pass, a 14-yarder to Forest Scott.
"We really weren't expecting to pass and we didn't do too much today," Pichen said. "But when I did, I was confident that I would find someone."