Rash of injuries causes Lakes to shuffle its offensive line

The primary focus of the Lakes offense this season was to be its running game.

But a lack of continuity on the offensive line has made it difficult for the Eagles to rack up the yardage.

Three-year starting offensive lineman Bill Brinser missed last Friday's game at Harvard with a sprained ankle and that set off an unexpected shift down the entire line.

"We moved our center to guard, we had our second-string center playing center and our other guard moved to tackle," Lakes coach Luke Mertens said. "We had guys playing positions that they don't normally play and it showed."

The Eagles got into the end zone twice against Harvard, but both touchdowns came on passes.

"When you're playing without your best offensive lineman, you're definitely going to feel that," Mertens said. "It's harder to run the football and I think it has a psychological effect, too."

The good news for the Eagles is that Brinser is due to return to the lineup this week.

Down and out: The relatively minor ankle injury suffered by offensive lineman Bill Brinser is the exception rather than the rule at Lakes.

The Eagles have already lost three other starters to injuries this season. But unlike Brinser, who missed just more than a week, the other three players will be lost indefinitely. That's right, the rest of the season.

Offensive lineman Jesse Gonzalez tore ligaments in his knee just days before the Eagles' season opener. Meanwhile, wide receiver Forrest Ericksen injured his shoulder so badly that he was forced to have shoulder surgery the day before the season opener.

And running back Juan Avila, who also contributes on special teams, broke his ankle Monday in a junior varsity game.

"All three guys were starters," Lakes coach Luke Mertens said dejectedly. "Hopefully, we've met our quota on season-ending injuries for the year."

No stop: There is a common thread that links Wauconda's loss to Huntley in the season opener to its victory over Orr Academy last week.

The Bulldogs just didn't quit.

Against Huntley, they were down 21-7 and had a chance to win the game in the final minutes but fell just short, 28-24.

Last week against Orr, Wauconda again fell behind. Orr gained a significant mental edge by running the opening kickoff in for a touchdown. But the Bulldogs came back to win the game, 14-7.

"So far, we've had a lot happen that could have made us just roll over and quit," Wauconda coach Dave Mills said. "But we didn't do it. We hung in there and kept working.

"I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that we have some very strong leaders on this team. Our three captains (Tommy Tyrrell, Brandon Hauck and Cody Smith) have been doing a great job of helping the kids maintain their focus and fighting attitude."

Fog cutters: With 6 turnovers, including 5 lost fumbles, Vernon Hills certainly wasn't at its crispest in last Friday's loss to South Elgin.

"We looked like we were in a fog at times," Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said.

Evan Spencer and E.J. Lannan were a couple of the exceptions. Their focus had the kind of clarity Monken was hoping to get from his entire team.

Spencer, a junior wide receiver, had 7 catches for 102 yards, including a 57-yard touchdown reception.

"Evan probably had the best game of his career at wide receiver," Monken said. "He really made a lot of nice plays when we needed them."

Meanwhile, Lannan, a senior linebacker, made plays all over the field for the Vernon Hills defense.

Cast and crew: What's the must-have accessory this fall season?

Well, at Antioch, it appears that arm casts are in.

Fullback Steve Lorenzini was the trendsetter when he was recently fitted with a cast after learning during preseason camp that he had broken a bone in his hand above his index finger.

On Saturday, running back Josh Guadarrama jumped on the bandwagon after breaking his wrist in a game against Waukegan. He also now has a cast.

Again.

Ironically, Guadarrama just ditched a cast. He broke his pinkie finger in July and wore a small cast through August.

"I guess if you look at the glass as being half full, you could say that Josh is used to playing with casts on," Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said.

But apparently, the rest of the team does not want to get used to the odor that can sometimes emanate from the casts, which have to be wrapped in protective padding for games that can get dirty and sweaty.

"One day (offensive lineman) Brandon Ginter showed up to practice with Febreze," Glashagel laughed. "Lorenzini's cast was really starting to smell. They were trying to squirt the Febreze down in there. It was pretty hilarious."

Still a loss: Some coaches in the North Suburban Prairie Division have applauded Grant's nonconference schedule, even though it has resulted in two losses for the Bulldogs.

Having to start with Crystal Lake South, a 10-3 Class 7A semifinalist in 2008, and a Plainfield North team that just missed the playoffs last year, the Bulldogs had one of the toughest nonconference schedules in the division.

Grant coach Kurt Rous, on the other hand, isn't quite as impressed.

"Yeah, they were tough games, but 0-2 doesn't put us anywhere," Rous said. "Moral victories aren't going to get us in the playoffs. Maybe these tough games will pay off somehow later on, but right now we just need to win games."

The Bulldogs will have to go about doing that without the services of starting right guard Jason Lippo. At least temporarily.

Lippo sprained his ankle recently and will not play against Lakes on Friday.