Libertyville exceeds expectations, stops Lake Zurich

It wasn't bulletin board material, but rather hallway chatter that was an added source of motivation for the Libertyville football team this week.

"Before our first game of the season (against Barrington), kids were saying, 'Are you going to win?' Libertyville quarterback A.J. Schurr relayed. "And today around school, kids were asking, 'Are you not going to lose tonight?'"

It was probably a fair question, considering the Wildcats were coming off of two straight losses heading into Thursday's North Suburban Conference Lake Division game against visiting Lake Zurich.

If the thought of stumbling to their third loss in four games wasn't enough to pump up the Wildcats, doubt around school sure was.

"That (questions in the hallway) was incentive for us to say, 'We'll show you guys,'" Schurr said.

And the Wildcats did just that in pulling out a 19-14 nailbiter over Lake Zurich. Libertyville relieves some playoff implication pressure by climbing to 2-2 (1-1 Lake) on the season. Meanwhile, Lake Zurich drops to 2-2 (1-1 Lake).

"This is a very big victory. This is very helpful for the playoffs. We really needed this win," said Libertyville running back James Zotto, who rushed for only 15 yards (including a 2-yard touchdown), but caught 3 passes for 95 yards. "There's still a little bit of pressure, but this is huge for us."

Libertyville matched Lake Zurich touchdown for touchdown through the first three quarters of the game but took its first lead of the game when Schurr capped off a 5-play drive with a 4-yard touchdown run with 5:37 left in the game.

The drive originated at the Wildcats' own 18-yard line but Schurr provided some major breathing room when he hooked up with Zotto for a 57-yard completion.

Eric Andrews followed that with another big catch, 17 yards.

Once Schurr found the end zone, the Wildcats knew immediately that they would be going for the two-point conversion to give themselves a nice, round 7-point lead.

Schurr, who also kicks extra points, had missed one earlier so the Wildcats were trailing by a point (14-13) prior to his fourth quarter score. But Schurr then misfired on his conversion pass, so Lake Zurich turned optimistic, down only 5 points (19-14) with plenty of time remaining.

As expected, Lake Zurich put the ball in the hands of workhorse Jacob Brinlee, who rolled up 107 yards on 21 carries and had scored in the third quarter on a 9-yard run.

But then the unexpected happened.

Brinlee was helping the Bears methodically move the ball down the field when he suddenly fumbled while stretching for a few extra yards.

Libertyville's Bryan Dickson pounced on the ball and was swarmed by his ecstatic teammates. The Wildcats took over with 3:47 left.

"I just let my team down," said a heartbroken Brinlee. "I was just trying to get more yards and I let everyone down."

Lake Zurich coach Bryan Stortz doesn't quite see it that way.

"That's Jacob Brinlee, and a lot of our players. They take stuff like that very personally," Stortz said. "But it's no one player. Jake comes out here and gives us everything he has. He did exactly what he was supposed to do in that situation."

The same could be said for Schurr once Libertyville got the ball back. The Wildcats still needed to get a few first downs before they'd be able to officially salt the game away.

Schurr guided the Wildcats to four, which was just enough.

"A.J. is heady for a junior," Libertyville coach Randy Kuceyeski said of Schurr, who completed 11-of-17 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown. "Great passing tonight. He ran the ball well. He had a great game."