Wauconda offense erupts in win over North Chicago
It appeared that host North Chicago and Wauconda would play a close game, as each team scored within the first 10 minutes of the first quarter.
But Wauconda (3-5, 2-3) exploded for 20 unanswered points in the second quarter to overwhelm the Warhawks 41-12 in a North Suburban Conference Prairie Division football game on Friday night.
On the Bulldogs' first possession of the game, quarterback Brian Kent threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Dorsey with Kevin Carpentier converting the PAT with 6:22 left in the first quarter.
"Coach (Dave Mills) called a great play," said Kent, who completed 5 of 9 passes for 92 yards."Their corner left our receiver open and I just threw right away. Our offensive line was blocking great today. We were pumped up for this game. We were ready to play and everybody came out and executed."
Four minutes later, it was North Chicago's turn to have a big play, as Keenan Handy took a handoff and scooted around the right side for a 47-yard touchdown.
"It just happened," Handy said."I happened to see the hole and I picked it.
The rest of the game was all Wauconda.
"The kids played really, really well," Mills said. "We played a tough game last week (a 27-20 loss to Vernon Hills) and played short this week. We put a full game together."
Then came the scoring barrage in the second quarter.
Wauconda's Tommy Tyrrell intercepted a North Chicago pass and returned it 25 yards. Four plays later, Kent scored on a sneak from 14 yards out and Carpentier converted the pass to make the score 14-6.
Three minutes later, Kent (7 rushes, 40 yards) scored from 5 yards out on a draw.
Brandon Hauck ended the quarter with an 18-yard TD on a draw. Wauconda led 27-6 at halftime.
James Tagorda took the second-half kickoff and raced 70 yards for the score.
Wauconda finished the scoring when it blocked a punt and Hauck recovered in the end zone.
North Chicago got a 60-yard TD run from Demitrius Starks.
"We made mistakes and they just took advantage of it, "North Chicago coach Glen Kozlowski said.
Both Kozlowski and Mills downplayed the fact that Kozloski was playing against his former assistant for the first time.
"It's not about coach against coach," Mills said."It's kids vs kids."