After Palatine's quick start, Conant can't catch up
A very efficient first quarter helped propel Palatine to a 28-21 victory over visiting Conant on Friday night.
The Pirates put together 2 touchdowns drives in which they were barely slowed down to go up 14-0 at the end of the first.
"All year we've made things hard on ourselves," Conant coach Bill Modelski said. "Then we figure it out and we fight, but it's too late sometimes. This was another example of that. This has been the story of our season."
Conant clawed back into the game behind great games from running back Kyle Klosowicz and quarterback Rico Prestia.
Klosowicz carried the ball 33 times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Prestia was 11-of-18 passing for 137 yards with touchdown passes to Garrett Gatz and Josh Davis.
After Prestia's fourth-quarter touchdown pass to Gatz made the score 28-21, Conant (2-6, 1-3) had Palatine stopped on a three-and-out. But a roughing the kicker call on the Pirates' punt attempt allowed Palatine to run the clock to under three minutes.
It was a play Palatine coach Tyler Donnelly called "huge" for his team.
Even then, Palatine (7-1, 3-1) couldn't completely secure the win when Conant's Zach Lindeman blocked Rory Fritz's 22-yard field goal attempt.
It wasn't until Phil Brand intercepted Prestia with 1:13 to play and Conant driving that the Pirates could finally breathe easier.
"We played pretty good, but we didn't play as well as I hoped we would play," Donnelly said. "I think part of that has to do with Conant playing good too. We knew they were going to be tough."
Palatine got quarterback Cody Bobbit back from a shoulder injury on Friday after he had missed three weeks of action.
The junior was very effective, completing 9 of 15 passes for 91 yards and a touchdown to Nick McHugh. Bobbit also ran 8 times for 48 yards and a score.
Running back Joe Pelnar was Palatine's workhorse, though, carrying the ball 23 times for 104 yards.
The win sets Palatine up for a showdown with undefeated Fremd next Friday and a chance to earn a share of the Mid-Suburban West title.
"I'm very excited for that game," Palatine's Jimmy Smearman, who rushed for 2 touchdowns and 67 yards, said. "That's what I dream about, playing Fremd for the conference championship every year."