Stevenson prevails, and Libertyville sees red

A pretty spectacular football game, with Libertyville all pretty in pink and putting on a prettier performance, ended pretty ugly.

That's what the home team will insist, anyway, after Stevenson scored a controversial touchdown midway through the fourth quarter to snap a tie.

Joe Cassata's fourth TD, late in the game, was the fifth unanswered by the visitors and finished off a come-from-behind, 35-21 win for Stevenson on a festive Friday. The night that included pregame fireworks, a 9-foot-by-12-foot LED screen in the north end zone and the host Wildcats wearing pink-and-black jerseys to promote breast cancer awareness.

Stevenson (8-0, 6-0) remained perfect and completed a second-straight undefeated run through the North Suburban Lake Division. The Patriots also pulled off the feat in 2005.

The loss eliminated Libertyville (3-5, 2-3) from playoff contention for the second year in a row and third time in four seasons.

"We knew we could play with them, and we showed it," said Libertyville quarterback/defensive back A.J. Schurr, who directed an attack that had the Wildcats up 21-0 in the first half. "We took the mentality that they weren't going to give us any respect. It had to be taken, and I think we took it."

"They knew they had to win this game or they weren't going to make the playoffs," Stevenson wide receiver Stephen Salata said. "Pink jerseys, the Jumbotron, fireworks, the whole shebang. They came out ready to play, and we were ready for that."

The 6-2 Salata was involved in the momentum-changing play. With the score tied 21-21 in the fourth, Stevenson faced fourth-and-2 from the Libertyville 31.

Schurr who completed 17 of 29 passes for 212 yards, and rushed for 39 yards had single coverage on Salata. Patriots quarterback Kevin Earl floated a pass to Salata, who caught the ball over Schurr around the 15 and then raced into the end zone after Schurr fell to the turf.

"He bit on the curl," Salata said. "We ran that two times on that drive, and he bit on it again. He's a heck of an athlete. ... There was a little contact, but there's going to be contact all the time on a play like that. I just made a play."

Libertyville's sideline was furious that offensive pass interference wasn't called.

"We were hand-fighting a little bit," Salata said of him and Schurr. "Someone told me that he ended up tripping on the play, but I don't think I pushed him."

"It wasn't hand-fighting," said Schurr, who earlier in the half had an interception. "I turned to look back for the ball, got shoved in the back and landed on my face. I know I'm not that un-athletic that I'd trip and fall on my face."

"It's tough to lose a game on a controversial call," said Libertyville coach Randy Kuceyeski said. "When two teams are playing that hard, to have a call like that (on Salata's TD catch) is ludicrous."