No deflating unbeaten Barrington
Even after Conant used four plays to navigate 80 yards for an opening-drive touchdown less than a minute into the game, and then forced a Barrington punt in four plays, the Broncos' undefeated football team was far from deflated.
"To be honest, we knew our offense would answer," said Broncos junior standout running back Chase Murdock, who rushed for 217 yards in 28 carries.
Sure enough, the Broncos weren't chasing a deficit for too long.
The defense stepped up first, when after a 4-yard sack, Broncos linebacker Joe Yassin recovered a fumble at the Conant 10-yard line with 6:57 left in the first quarter.
Three players later, Murdock danced into the end zone with the first of his 3 touchdowns as Barrington scored 31 unanswered points en route to a 38-21 triumph in the Mid-Suburban West opener at Charles O. Feutz Field in Hoffman Estates.
"It was my teammates that set me up for that (big fumble recovery)," Yassin said. "Our scout team all week pretty much set us up for this game."
The next game for the Broncos will be Schaumburg (4-1, 1-0), which was ranked No. 1 in Class 8A just two weeks ago, at 2 p.m. next Saturday.
"We are looking forward to that game now," Yassin said. "Schaumburg will be a big challenge."
Broncos coach Joe Sanchez knew the Cougars (2-3, 0-1) would be a challenge Friday.
"No doubt about it," he said. "We knew what we were getting into. We felt their record was deceiving. And they came right out and showed that. I was really happy with the way our kids responded. I was proud of them."
Sophomore Jacobi Sims, who rushed for 79 yards, galloped 26 yards for the Cougars' first TD with 11:05 left in the first quarter.
But they wouldn't score again until Tom Zidek's 4-yard run made it 31-14 with 7:18 left in the game.
"The big turning point was when we fumbled on the 10-yard line," said Conant coach Bill Modelski. "We come out with a 7-0 lead and then force a punt, and then all of sudden they have the ball on our 10-yard line. All the momentum changes and it's whole new ballgame.
"But you know Barrington is a big, physical team. And we did not match that."
The big men on the offensive line - Lee Conforti, Dan Voltz, Aaron Castagna, Pat Bolger, Jimmy Kristoff and Joey Feeney - helped pave the way for Murdock's big game.
"Those guys were opening up big holes and pancaking guys," Murdock said. "And my fullback (Jeremy Rafidia) too, was great."
Sanchez also credited receivers J.L. Etienne, Taylor Calacci, Sam Handler and Zach Dulla.
"They really did a nice job blocking downfield to help Chase get more yards," he said.
After Ben LeCompte booted a 30-yard field for a 10-7 lead, Murdock scored TDs on 4- and 1-yard runs to give the Broncos a 24-7 cushion at half.
Senior linebacker Chris Hoover's 12-yard TD interception return made it 31-7.
Feeney's 10-yard TD grab from backup QB Mark Bennett made it 38-14. Conant scored the final TD when backup QB Brian Wadsworth threw a 29-yard strike to London Dokubo with 1:15 left in the game.