Electrifying start gives Buffalo Grove big finish
From the first play of scrimmage when Buffalo Grove quarterback Mike Garrity completed a 47-yard bomb on a flea-flicker to Mike Cornely, Friday night's Mid-Suburban East opener with Prospect had an electrifying air.
The Bison put up 39 points in the first half, building a 26-point lead with 4:14 left in the second quarter as the near-capacity crowd watched.
The home team, whose school was hosting the University of Illinois marching band for most of the day, was finally able to toot its own horn after a valiant comeback effort by the Knights saw them close to within 39-33 on a 15-yard TD run by Peter Bonahoom with 9:05 left in the final quarter.
That would stand as the final score, giving the Bison a 3-2 record and Prospect its first loss in five games.
The Knights had one final chance when John Coen intercepted a pass at the Prospect 8 with 2:58 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Quarterback Mike Osei, who rushed right and left all night for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns, got the Knights to their 34 before BG's defense forced the visitors to turn over the ball on downs with 1:22 left.
A couple of kneeldowns ended the game and gave the Bison one of their biggest victories under second-year coach Jim Farrell.
"Besides my first win, this obviously has to be a very memorable one not only for my first two seasons but for many years to come," said Farrell, who watched his team's first-half explosion include touchdown runs of 47, 20 and 44 yards by Kevin Mulligan, who also had an interception. "I could not be more proud of these guys. Prospect is a great team. Brent (Pearlman, head coach) and his staff does a great job and I've worked with three of their coaches."
Both teams worked the majority of the evening under wet and rainy conditions and on an off track.
"Crazy, muddy and wet," said John Angotti, who had an interception and ran back a kickoff 67 yards for a TD.
"We were blessed with this weather," Farrell said. "Prospect on a fast track is very tough to handle. Three of our five offensive linemen are juniors and they've really grown and gave us the opportunity to run."
The offensive line of Andrew Busse, Greg Sanders, Joe Damisch, Kalvin Booker and Keith Jones helped pave the way for Mulligan's 147 yards in the first half with 64 yards rushing by Garrity and 48 from Angotti.
"We've been waiting for this night all season," said Garrity, who threw for 129 yards, 94 of them going to Cornely. "This is the greatest feeling I've ever had in football. It's unbelievable."
"The defense (which also had 2 fumble recoveries by Angotti and Mark Zdanewicz) was a big part of this. They did a great job. They bent but did not break. This just feels great my senior year."
Prospect finished with 424 yards rushing and 33 passing. The Knights committed 12 penalties which cost them nearly 100 yards. Four turnovers were also costly.
"Obviously, we didn't play well in the first half," said Pearlman said. "And we turned the ball over. This is what happens when you do that. We had some costly turnovers that set us back and the turnovers hurt."
Farrell felt his club's opening games with the MSL West teams played a key role.
"They really helped prepare us," he said. "Cornely, Angotti and Mulligan played great on both sides of the ball.
"What a great high school football game. It was a fantastic environment and great game for the people to watch."