Schambow fires 6 TD passes as Libertyville rolls

Homecoming at Libertyville began with the Wildcats entering the field to fireworks. Those pyrotechnics turned out to be a preview of what Quinn Schambow had in store.

Libertyville's quarterback threw for 418 yards and six touchdowns in a 41-0 shutout of Mundelein.

Tommy Buenik recovered a fumble on the game's first possession to set the Wildcats (5-2, 3-2) up at their own 39-yard line. Three plays later, Schambow found Blaise LaVista for a 50-yard touchdown.

After the Mustangs (4-3, 2-3) went three-and-out, Schambow hit LaVista for another score on the first play of the ensuing possession from 84 yards out. Before the first quarter was over, Schambow threw an 82-yard touchdown pass to Sam Seth.

Schambow threw for two more touchdowns in the second quarter, the latter of which was set up by a Charlie Clark interception and LaVista's third score, this one from 27 yards away. LaVista finished with 192 yards on four catches.

"He's arguably the best receiver in the state regardless of class," Schambow said about the sophomore. I've known him since sixth grade. I've been playing with him since (we were) really young. He's a stud. He's always reliable, so he just did his thing."

Before halftime, it became clear that a running clock was inevitable. Schambow wasted no time making that happen, leading the Libertyville offense with little trouble before hitting Rich for his second touchdown on the opening drive of the second half.

"We have a resilient group," Wildcats coach Mike Jones said of his team, which had lost two of its previous three games by a combined four points. "They worked hard, they stuck together, and that was the important thing."

While Libertyville now is on the cusp of playoff eligibility, what appeared a certainty for Mundelein, once 4-0, suddenly isn't after dropping its third straight. The Mustangs now must win their final two regular-season games against Lake Zurich and Lake Forest to guarantee themselves a postseason spot; one win makes them playoff eligible.

It was a rough offensive night for the Mustangs, who had their biggest threats to score when the running clock already had begun. The Mustangs missed a 37-yard field goal attempt late in the third quarter. Daniel McNelly completed 11 of 23 passes for 106 yards. Adam Alkhatib paced Mundelein's rushing attack with 27 yards on 11 carries.

Despite the more favorable position the Wildcats put themselves in with the victory, Jones knows work remains to be done.

"We just gotta keep building momentum one week at a time," he said. "There's nothing else we can do."