Wauconda connects, spoils Orr's field debut
J.D. Vanderwiel couldn't understand why he had to hustle off Orr Academy's brand-new football field just because a little blood was smeared on his arm.
"This isn't Fight Club," a Wauconda coach explained to the senior lineman.
"This IS Fight Club," Vanderwiel said.
Say this, Wauconda fought hard in Chicago on Saturday.
The Bulldogs grinded out their first victory for new head coach Dave Mills by rallying for a 14-7 win on a historic day at the West Side high school.
The game marked the debut of Orr's stadium, which features synthetic turf and a new track, as well. The school held a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony before the game.
"It's really nice," Vanderwiel, who had a nice game with 3 sacks, said of the flashy field. "I feel a little honored to be able to open their field and take the victory from them."
The Bulldogs took a long ride to the game and looked "bus-lagged" on the game's opening kickoff. Orr freshman Jamal McDowell sped 85 yards for a touchdown, marking already the third yielded by Wauconda's kickoff team this season.
"The craziest thing is, we worked on it three days last week," Mills said. "It's one of those things that we're snakebit with right now. We got to keep fighting through it and correct it."
Wauconda's new offense, which emphasizes the pass a lot more under Mills than former coach Glen Kozlowski, incorporated screen passes, a no-huddle look and even some option. But the Bulldogs couldn't crack the end zone until Brandon Hauck scored from 5 yards out in the second quarter.
It wasn't until junior quarterback Brian Kent sneaked in from 2 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter that Wauconda had its first lead. Kent then completed the conversion pass to Shawn Lundquist.
"Our offense can move the ball," said Vanderwiel, who starts at right tackle and switches in on defense. "Our O-line needs to work on the plays, and we just need to work a little bit harder. We understand. We just have to figure out who gets who on what play and where we go from there."
Kent finished 13 of 18 for 140 yards through the air and also busted off a 31-yard run, leading the Bulldogs with 55 rushing yards.
"We're young offensively and we're learning a whole new system," Mills said. "Our quarterback is trying to figure out a couple of things where he has freedom and where he doesn't have freedom. Right now we're going through a learning curve."
For the second game in a row, Wauconda's defense played well, with Josh Fugle notching a pair of sacks.
"They're our experienced group," Mills said. "We said at the beginning of the year that they're going to have to carry us for a while until the offense's learning curve catches up."