Kaneland downs DeKalb, ties for Western Sun lead
First-year DeKalb head football coach Marty Sanders knew what he was up against. He even appreciated it.
Kaneland ruined DeKalb's homecoming with 35 unanswered points in the Knights' 35-6 Western Sun Conference victory on a windswept Saturday.
Blake Serpa scored on touchdown runs of 3 and 6 yards, and Joe Camiliere ran for 1 score and passed for 2 others.
Sanders certainly didn't like the result, but he admired how the Knights get it done.
"We're kind of using Kaneland as an example of how to build a program and doing things the right way, and trying to teach kids good life lessons and continuing to work and fight," Sanders said.
He understood it'd be tough to beat Kaneland (5-2, 4-1). The Knights became playoff-eligible and join Geneva and Glenbard South atop the Western Sun. Kaneland hosts Geneva - just upset by Rochelle - on Friday.
So DeKalb (1-6, 0-5) won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. Jake Gordon delivered an onside kick and teammate Bobby Russell recovered it at Kaneland's 46.
"Trying to keep it fun," Sanders said.
Not so for Kaneland when on the next play quarterback Dylan Donnelly threw to Devin Hill for a 6-0 lead 10 seconds into the game.
"We're like, all right, here we go, it's a ballgame and we've got to come out and answer," said Kaneland coach Tom Fedderly. "And our kids did."
On successive series, a 38-yard screen pass to Ryley Bailey set up Serpa's 3-yard touchdown run, then a solid 10-play drive ended with Serpa waltzing 6 yards untouched behind linemen Ben Kovalick and Eric Dratnol for a 14-6 Knights lead with 3 minutes left in the first quarter.
DeKalb penalties twice negated touchdown plays. The Barbs' nifty 52-yard reverse pass had an ineligible blocker downfield. On their first possession of the second quarter holding squashed Dalton Watie's apparent 69-yard run.
Otherwise, Kaneland defensive linemen Dratnol, Andy Hladilek, Jimmy Boyle and Alex Barron either made the tackle or filled gaps so linebackers like Serpa and Brett Ketza could.
"We did what the coaches told us," Serpa said. "The assignments went well, just reading our stuff and getting to the ball."
By halftime, Knights up 21-6, Taylor Andrews had 5 receptions for 110 yards. He finished with 161 yards on 7 receptions, but no touchdown grabs - those went to Tyler Callaghan from 13 yards out in the second quarter, and to running back Eric Tattoni on a 7-yarder to go with 80 yards rushing. Freshman Chad Swieca nailed all 5 conversion kicks.
Camiliere capped the scoring on a 4-yard run, and finished 14 of 21 passing for 267 yards, no interceptions.
"The credit's got to go to the receivers, they did a great job catching the ball and making a big run after the catch," Camiliere said. "They were finding the openings and just doing what they could to get by their defenders."