No victory, but no regrets for Christian Liberty
When the horn sounded at Christian Liberty Academy on Saturday in Arlington Heights, the Chargers had finished their first full season of IHSA football.
Christian Liberty, however, will have to wait until next year to get its first victory.
The visiting Luther North Wildcats ended their 22-game losing streak by defeating the Chargers 20-12 in a Northeastern Athletic Conference game, scoring more points than they did all season long.
Wildcats coach Wayne Wenzel struggled to overcome the joy of victory to comment on the game.
"We were in some games this year," he said. "It took a lot for these guys to come back (from last season). It's a nice way to end the year."
Things looked good early for Luther North (1-8, 1-8) when it went on a long drive but was stopped on fourth-and-goal. After a three-and-out by Christian Liberty (0-9, 0-9), it only took two plays for the Wildcats to find the end zone. Senior quarterback Dante Trimble connected with senior wideout Stephen Whalen for a 25-yard touchdown.
The Chargers responded in the second quarter by taking advantage of Luther North turnovers. Freshman Dan Glad scored from 4 yards, and two minutes later, senior running back Zach Cavanaugh hit David Sotomayor for a 51-yard touchdown on a halfback pass as Christian Liberty held a lead for the first time all season.
In the second half, Luther North looked to the leadership of its seniors.
"We looked for Dante to lead us and for Mendiola to get the yards," said Wenzel.
The two did not disappoint their coach or teammates. Trimble connected with Whalen for another touchdown, and Mendiola grinded out some tough yards and scored the go-ahead touchdown from 16 yards with 5:12 remaining in the game.
"It was a rough season. We didn't give up," said Trimble. "It's the best note to go out on. It's my first win ever in football, and I'm glad to see my teammates jumping up and down."
On the other side, there wasn't much disappointment for Christian Liberty.
"We both were hungry for a win," said Chargers coach Jim Kaulkins. "The guys hung in there, and they understand that winning doesn't build character. Losing does."
The Chargers' seniors, meanwhile, didn't have any regrets.
"It was one of the best experiences ever," said senior quarterback Nathan Elleson. "We formed a brotherhood."