Fremd takes first step

It looked a lot more like the Fremd football teams people have been used to seeing over the past 15 years in its Friday night Mid-Suburban West contest against visiting Hoffman Estates.

The Vikings pounded the football on the ground, put together a dominant defensive effort, and amassed a 30-0 victory.

"We played a little bit looser than we have," Fremd coach Mike Donatucci said. "People talk about the pressure of having to win four games, but really it's the pressure of having to win one game. Our kids responded tonight."

Donatucci is referring to Fremd's need to win all of its remaining games in order to qualify for the playoffs for the 16th consecutive season.

The Vikings' defense snuffed out Hoffman's option attack all night long. The Hawks were held to 97 rushing yards, and just 95 total yards of offense as their lone completion went for negative yardage.

"It feels great," defensive end Adam Mertes said of the Fremd shutout. "We got the twos (the second-string) out there and that felt even better when they held it at zero. It was the first one of the season. It was great."

Hoffman (0-6, 0-2) fumbled the ball 10 times, most of them on muffed punts and errant option pitches from the quarterback. Mertes picked up Fremd's lone recovery.

"We just kept hitting the quarterback and he started throwing the ball recklessly," Mertes said. "The ball was all over the place. It would have been better if we had gotten more fumbles."

The Vikings were able to hold Hoffman at a huge field-position disadvantage the entire second half. Fremd only started one second-half possession in its own territory, and it was the final one of the game, which began at its 48.

Fremd (2-4, 1-1) didn't turn the ball over, meaning it won the turnover battle for the second consecutive week, something Donatucci said needs to happen to keep winning.

"When those things happen with the way we are able to control the ball and play defense, we'll win," Donatucci said.

Fremd piled up 205 rushing yards behind the efforts of running backs Justin Wallace (14 carries, 77 yards, 2 touchdowns) and Ronald Hauser (9 carries, 28 yards), and quarterback Sam Beutler (7 carries, 69 yards).

Beutler, a freshman, also threw 2 touchdown passes to tight end Jack Konopka.

Hoffman's leading rusher was quarterback David Gutierrez, who picked up 33 yards on 9 carries.

"Offensively we just weren't very good tonight. That's the bottom line," Hoffman coach Bill Helzer said. "I thought defensively we did a nice job."