Stevenson survives Wauconda’s test
Halloween arrived about two weeks early for Stevenson’s football team Friday night.
Wauconda, a 2-5 club, led host Stevenson, a 5-2 club, 9-0 at the half and 12-0 with 7:20 left in the fourth quarter.
Scary — if you’re affiliated with Stevenson.
Thrilling — if you’re Wauconda and oh-so close to triggering a tremor in Lake County.
“Crazy, isn’t it?” fan Brandon Gibis, a Wauconda junior, said at the half. “They’re playing great defense, and we’re all hoping they can keep this up in the second half.”
Gibis, wearing a morph suit, was dressed in Wauconda purple, head to toe, and looked ready for a night of trick-or-treating.
Stevenson, though, bagged the win, escaping with a 13-12 decision in a North Suburban Conference crossover. Patriots senior quarterback Matt Micucci connected with sophomore wideout Matt Morrissey for a pair of touchdowns in the final 6:15.
The first was a 21-yarder, with Morrissey barely landing both feet in the corner of an end zone.
Then, nearly three minutes later, Micucci completed a 63-yard tally to Morrissey.
Micucci’s extra point, an emphatic kick, broke the 12-12 tie.
“Very slow start by us,” said a relieved Morrissey (3 catches, 115 yards – all after the break). “We had to get this win … couldn’t afford to lose.”
Wauconda (2-6) had entered the game with a pair of 3-point losses, in Weeks 3 and 4.
“I know this is going to sound strange, but I truly believe we are the best 2-win team in the state,” said proud Bulldogs coach Dave Mills. “These kids worked hard in practice, all week, and they had fun. What I mean by fun: We challenged them, and they enjoyed the challenge.
“We came here, against a school three times our size, and went toe to toe with them.”
Half of Pete Merker’s toes figured prominently Friday night. The Wauconda senior booted 36- and 28-yard field goals. The second put the visitors up 12-0 at 7:20 of the fourth quarter.
“We had momentum, for most of the night,” said Wauconda junior running back/linebacker David Starkey, who rushed for a team-high 52 yards – including a 3-yard TD run on the Bulldogs’ opening drive – and came up with a huge fourth-and-short tackle in the first half.
“Our O-line played its best game of the season. Close … we were so close.”
Stevenson (6-2), on its senior night, gained 124 yards in the first half, with Pats senior running back Kevin Foley accounting for 108 of them, all via ground. He finished with 166 yards on 29 carries.
Micucci (8-of-15, 186 yards) tossed for 170 yards after halftime.