Zion-Benton handles Antioch
Antioch’s football team has held on to the A-Z trophy since it last beat Zion-Benton in double overtime by a point back in 2005 at the Zee-Bees’ homecoming.
Zion-Benton returned the favor seven years later on Antioch’s homecoming with a 42-0 shutout in a North Suburban Conference crossover on Friday night in Antioch.
The trophy itself has a long history, having changed hands between the teams going back to the original North Suburban before the split into two divisions.
“It takes some time to cycle around for us to play (Antioch),” Zion-Benton said coach Robert Strickland, whose team improved to (2-5). “We’ve just haven’t had a game like this in a while.
“Our offense has struggled all year long. We just concentrated on mental toughness with mental routines, because we were making mental mistakes.”
Antioch (3-4) just couldn’t find its way into the end zone all game long. The Sequoits started out with a couple of sustained drives that stalled out — one on a missed 33-yard field, another on downs.
“That was a field goal we should make,” Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. “We had several drives over 10 plays and couldn’t punch it in.”
Sequoits’ running back Cody Gwinn (37 carries, 137 yards) had rushed for 105 yards in the first half.
“Gwinn was a man, and about a handful of guys showed up,” Glashagel said. “He’s a senior and works hard all the time. If there’s a bright spot through all of this, he looked liked a man-child out there.”
Zion-Benton’s Maurice Young broke a scoreless tie with 1:13 left in the second quarter with a 42-yard punt return. The Zee-Bees led 7-0 going into halftime.
At the start of the second half, opening drive, Zion-Benton put together a drive that went 9 plays and 65 yards. Sean Schinkle found the end zone on a 16-yard run for a 14-0 Zee-Bees lead with 8:36 left third quarter.
The Zee-Bees left their sting the rest of the way by scoring 28 unanswered points in the fourth quarter.
Alex Pasiewicz (18 carries, 182 yards) on a 5-yard run, Eric Gilmore 6-yards, Reid Ruckebeil 9-yards and Young from 11.
“We played with no sense of urgency,” Glashagel said, “Zion-Benton outplayed us from the beginning all the way to the end. When we needed to make a play, we didn’t do it. When we needed to get a yard, we couldn’t. When we needed to make a stop we couldn’t.”
Antioch hurt its chances of reaching the playoffs. the Sequoits have games left at Wauconda, and home against Grant.
“I don’t expect to get in at (5-4),” Glashagel said. “We’ll get ready and just have to start with trying to beat Wauconda at Wauconda. It means more for them and it’s a playoff game for them.”