Conant prevails over Buffalo Grove in battle of MSL unbeatens

Final score: Conant 37, Buffalo Grove 22

Records: Conant 4-0, Buffalo Grove 3-1

Player of the game: Conant senior running back Jackson Spizziri with 22 carries for 295 yards and 4 touchdowns (3, 80, 86, and 35 yards)

Other statistical leaders: Conant: Anthony Burns 14 carries, 74 yards, two, two-point conversions. Buffalo Grove: Nathan Raef 22 of 37, 249 yards. Matthew Kaput 16 carries, 84 yards, 8 receptions, 66 yards. Jaleel Marshall 6 receptions, 65 yards.

Turning point: In the fourth quarter, Conant sophomore Ty Mickelson's 12-yard run on a fourth-and-7 from the Cougars’ 43 led to the hosts taking the lead for good on senior quarterback Tyler Marchese's 1-yard keeper and Burns’ subsequent two-point conversion run for a 22-14 advantage with 8:55 remaining.

First-half highlights: Missed opportunities defined half number one as both teams saw scoring chances go by the wayside. The Bison's opening drive ended on a fumble inside the Conant 10-yard line that they took back to paydirt as Spizziri took it in from the 3 to end a 90-yard, 14-play scoring march.

After Buffalo Grove evened things up at 7 with a 19-yard scoring jaunt by junior QB Nathan Raef, the host school saw a pair of second period scoring chances go for not as Spizziri was stopped on the Bison 3 a yard short of a first down on their following 8-play, 61-yard drive. Then, a Marchese pass was picked off by Richie Mele at the Bison 19 with just two ticks left on the first half clock that quelled another Conant threat.

Second-half highlights: After Spizziri's third TD run (86 yards) accompanied by Burns' second two-point conversion that put them up 30-14 with 4:02 to play, the visitors came back on Luke Preusker's 60-yard kickoff return. That return, in tandem with a Kaput two-point run, pulled BG within 30-22 before Spizziri's fourth touchdown sealed the deal for the Cougars who are 4-0 for the first time since 2022 as they entertain Palatine to begin Mid-Suburban West play next Friday.

X-factor: This Mid-Suburban crossover in Hoffman Estates was the second Thursday night gridiron bout featuring 3-0 teams with Prospect playing Fremd being the other.

Quotes: “In this game our O-line finally opened up the middle," Spizziri said. "Our guards kicked out and we got some wide-open gaps."

“It just came down to (us) making more mistakes than they did," Buffalo Grove coach Jeff Vlk said. "Their kids just outplayed us in every facet of the game."