Tragedy mixes with triumph for Meadows
Editor's note: This story corrects inaccuracies in an earlier version.
For head football coach Doug Millsaps, Rolling Meadows' 36-7 Mid-Suburban East victory over Wheeling on Friday night was an afterthought.
Millsaps father, William Millsaps, 75, collapsed in the stands during the first half of play at Robert A. Hoese Field, and passed away shortly after.
Paramedics and police arrived on the scene immediately.
"That shows you that there's a lot more to things than just the game," Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar said. "Our hearts and condolences go out to Doug and his family, his staff and the Mustangs."
Meadows principal Charles Johns said the team was not ready to make an official statement, but said more information will be made available Saturday.
The win kept Rolling Meadows (5-2, 3-0) tied for first atop the MSL East standings along with Buffalo Grove (5-2, 3-0), who earned a 21-0 victory over Hersey.
The Mustangs are now playoff eligible for the seventh consecutive season and host the Bison next Friday with at least a share of the East title at stake.
Wheeling (2-5, 0-3), on the other hand, is now eliminated from make a third straight postseason appearance.
Meadows quarterback Jim Garoppolo kept the chains moving all game through the air and on the ground. The senior amassed 183 yards passing, 109 yards rushing and scored a touchdown each way.
His main target was fellow senior Tony Taibi, who made 8 catches for 113 yards and a touchdown.
"I had a couple of alright practices," Taibi said. "They weren't as sharp as I wanted them to be. Today I wanted to come out really sharp. I had a bad game last week, so I told Jimmy that we'll hook up and play good today."
Running back Erick Louis-Charles (4 yards) was as efficient as he could be, running the ball twice for 2 short touchdowns.
On the other side of the football, the Mustangs were equally dominant. The Wildcats were only able to muster 4 yards on the ground, forcing sophomore quarterback Tyler Brady to look to the air early and often. Brady threw for 188 yards and connected with senior receiver Matt Splon in the second quarter for a 31-yard touchdown.
In the end, Dunbar was able to single out the reason for Wheeling's struggles.
"Garoppolo is very good," he said understatedly. "He was the difference. He was a difference-maker for them on offense. When they needed a play they made a play, either on the ground or in the air, with his arm or with his feet.
"We didn't make the plays that we needed, and he did."