Prospect can't slow Hononegah

Prospect's defense couldn't contain the powerful rushing game of Rockton Hononegah on Saturday night in the first round of the Class 7A football playoffs.

Ninth-seed Hononegah (8-2) rushed for 372 yards en route to a 42-31 win over the eighth-seeded Knights at George Gattas Memorial Stadium, sending the Mid-Suburban East champs home with a 7-3 record.

"I kind of felt like we were going to scramble all night," Prospect coach Brent Pearlman said. "We were always chasing something. I never felt comfortable in the game. It was a slow bleed as we searched for answers."

After being outplayed throughout the first half, one answer presented itself in quarterback Miles Osei. The junior threw for 235 yards and 3 touchdowns, and rushed for 169 yards and two more scores.

Osei's 6-yard touchdown run with 3:15 remaining in the third quarter put Prospect within 2 points, but the Indians made the proper adjustment and never lost their grip on the lead.

"Miles does have the potential to take a game over," Pearlman said. "And for parts of the third and fourth quarter, he was the offense. We've come to expect it almost. If no one's open, he's supposed to run, and he did. I think he executed exactly what we ask him to do every week."

Hononegah never threw the ball in the second half and put together several long drives in the fourth quarter to keep the ball away from Prospect.

Two key Knights' starters were injured in the game, including linebacker Joe Mack, who was carted off the field and taken to the hospital. Wide receiver and defensive back Sean Baltowski left the game with a shoulder injury.

"We've lost a lot of kids this year, a lot of starters and another two tonight," Pearlman said. "That's not a crutch, but it went right in with the scramble. Everything felt like a scramble."