Early test has benefits

Palatine and Elk Grove aren't too disappointed about missing each other on next year's schedule.

They're glad the junior quarterbacks - Cody Bobbit of the Pirates and Nick Meyer of the Grenadiers - will be someone else's problem in the Mid-Suburban League crossover rotation.

But they may also look back on this second-week matchup as a valuable learning tool for this season as Palatine smashed out to a 21-point halftime lead and held on for a 21-10 victory.

"This was a great test early in the season," Palatine senior safety Trey Cannon said after his team recovered from a wobbly second-half start before an enthusiastic full house at Elk Grove.

The Pirates earned almost a near-perfect grade in the first half in step two of their drive toward a third straight playoff appearance.

Bobbit was perfect on all 14 of his passes for 144 yards and finally misfired on his 16th attempt of the night.

"Then you realize how athletic he really is," Elk Grove coach Brian Doll said of Bobbit's Walter Payton-esque leap over everyone at the goal line for Palatine's second score.

But the early story was the domination up front of Sash Patel, Adam Dreger, Tyler Farris, Joe Landeck and Connor Gannon, who was subbing after two-year starter Adam Schroeder was hurt on the first play.

Joe Pelnar pounded his way to 95 of his 107 yards and the Pirates just missed taking a commanding 28-0 halftime lead.

"We got smash-mouthed," said Elk Grove senior linebacker Kyle Pfister. "We weren't ready for smash-mouth.

"When you come out against a team like Palatine you have to expect everything. They ran all over us in the first half."

Then Elk Grove came out and showed why it expects to end a four-year playoff drought as it helped take away the offensive rhythm Bobbit and crew need.

And the Grenadiers, even though they lost one of their top receivers in Eddie Solorio to a left shoulder injury, started regaining the offensive swagger they had in the opener behind Meyer.

A stick by Brandon Datavs and fumble recovery by Kyle Pass put them at the Pirates' 46 with 11:53 to play and a chance to get within 21-17.

"I felt good about the adjusments we made," said first-year Elk Grove coach Brian Doll. "The kids were fighting back and you want to see that early in the season. How are they going to respond?"

Now that was the question for Palatine with the momentum clearly shifted. But last year's MSL West co-champs have become pretty familiar with these situations.

Tyler Jones nailed Mike Wary for a 1-yard loss and the possession went nowhere.

Elk Grove's next possession started at the 13 and went to the Palatine 25. Then junior linebacker Jim Smearman broke up an end zone pass to end the final threat as his team ran out the final 2:54.

"It shows the senior leadership we have," Cannon said. "(Linebacker) Phil Brand did a great job.

"Every year as juniors it comes from the seniors and we've learned now how to do this kind of stuff."

Elk Grove learned a lot, too, in what was the first big-game atmosphere for a lot of its players.

"The second half I feel is what our defense can do," Pfister said. "We have to play like that for four quarters."

And Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly wasn't too upset with a game that could have been over at halftime in doubt well into the fourth quarter.

"You want to play good teams," Donnelly said. "They show you things you have to get better at and Elk Grove is a good team."

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com