Bison sticking together

Buffalo Grove showed it could handle the adversity of two tough early-season losses.

Now the Bison had to prove they could deal with the prosperity of one of the football program's biggest victories in years.

And there were all sorts of other potential obstacles Friday night for the Bison after they stunned Prospect last week.

The rain and mud made for miserable conditions. This was the week every coach fears - homecoming.

And they faced a Wheeling team fighting for its playoff life.

None of it bothered the Bison as a 28-0 victory extended their winning streak to three games and moved the Mid-Suburban East co-leaders closer to ending a five-year playoff drought at 4-2.

"Everyone thought that was a lucky game for us but we proved everyone wrong," said BG senior defensive tackle Mark Zdanewicz of the 39-33 win over Prospect.

"We avoided the dreaded emotional letdown," said BG coach Jim Farrell, "from what was probably the greatest game these kids have ever played in."

Maybe more important was getting down after they dropped to 1-2 with an overtime loss to Barrington and a fourth-quarter loss to Palatine.

It could have led to an extended tailspin for a team not accustomed to success after a 3-6 season last year.

But this team is determined to put a different spin on things this year.

"We have real good leaders," said junior left tackle Joe Damisch. "(Kevin) Mulligan's leadership, if it wasn't for him we could have easily lost a few more games. He keeps the team up."

But, as Farrell pointed out, it helps to have some talent with a team that has bonded so well.

Mulligan continued to display that with an electrifying 49-yard punt return in the mud. The senior appeared to be stopped on the right side and then suddenly emerged from the gloom and was racing across the field and into the end zone.

Mike Garrity threw a perfect 33-yard touchdown pass through the rain and into the wind to a leaping Mike Cornely for the first score. John Angotti, another of the Bison leaders and workhorses, ran for a touchdown.

The defense wasn't flustered when Wheeling opened with Western Michigan-bound running back Weston Ross at quarterback in the Wildcat formation. The Bison finished the shutout with Max Rabkin breaking up an end zone pass with less than a minute to play.

"We don't stop," Zdanewicz said. "Even if it's 28-0, we keep going harder and harder every play."

That's something else the Bison have learned this year - no matter who they play. Zdanewicz said it wasn't always the case last year.

The way the offensive line has gelled is also a microcosm for this team. Seniors such as Andrew Busse and Greg Sanders working right with juniors Damisch, Kavlin Booker, Keith Jones and tight end Dan Recht.

"We're together everywhere," Damisch said of no-class splits, whether it's going out to eat after practice or going out on a Saturday night.

"That's what makes us a better team this year," Zdanewicz said. "We hang out as a team together and play sports together and that's why we're winning games.

"We trust each other that he's going to do his job and I'm going to do my job."

The Bison have been doing it well enough to a point they're not that far from being undefeated. There are more tough challenges the next three weeks, but now they're realistically considering even bigger possibilities.

"We haven't had an MSL East championship for a long time," Damisch said of a seven-year dry spell. "It's a goal we're shooting for and I think we've got a good shot at it.

"This is a real special team we haven't had in quite a few years."

Special in more ways than just one or two players.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com