Buffalo Grove 27, Hersey 14
In a game of big plays, Hersey struck first but watched as Buffalo Grove made all the rest to keep its postseason hopes alive with a 27-14 Mid-Suburban East football victory Friday night.
"The next two we're going to have to win (to make the playoffs)," said BG quarterback John Bakun after he had 230 total yards and threw for 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. "It's going to be hard but we'll get it."
BG finishes with Rolling Meadows and Prospect.
Hersey used a wide receiver pass on its second play from scrimmage to get to the Bison 18 after sophomore Steve Nelson caught a short pass from Mike Karpierz and turned it into a near touchdown.
Despite the long reception, the Huskies (0-7, 0-3) offense stalled and came away empty after a missed field goal.
"They just tripped me up at the ankles. I thought I was going all the way," Nelson said after racking up 214 total yards and throwing for a touchdown. "I think we could have had it. We were dominating the game in the first half and we had this one."
The Huskies quickly got the ball back after Anthony Maginity intercepted Bakun's first pass of the day, but once again Hersey couldn't get any points.
BG (3-4, 2-1 East) took a 7-0 lead when Bakun found Sawyer Goldberg for a 45-yard completion to the Huskies five. James Blackmon, filling in for starting running back Josh Hampton, who is academically ineligible, scored on the following play.
The Bison quickly extended their lead to 14-0 early in the third quarter after Bakun turned a fumbled snap into a 39-yard run and scored on the next play.
Two minutes later, Buffalo Grove got the ball back and Bakun once again completed a long pass. This time it was Caleb Farina, who scored on a 66-yard bomb after running the final 35 yards.
The Bison then blocked a Hersey punt and Fred Cornely picked up the loose ball and walked into the end zone to make it 27-0 with 6:44 left in the third quarter.
The Huskies scored twice in the final six minutes of the game but were unable to seriously challenge BG in the second half.
"We just shot ourselves in the foot too many times," Nelson said. "(But) we have to stay in it. We're giving it all we can. We're staying together."