Dazzo dazzles for Prospect in win over Meadows
Prospect quarterback Steve Dazzo showed what a opportunist can do Friday night.
With Rolling Meadows' defense keying on running back Peter Bonahoom, Dazzo made the Mustangs pay.
The senior signal caller scored 3 touchdowns and rushed 25 times for 200 yards. Dazzo also completed 3 of 5 passes for 39 yards.
Toss in a strong defensive effort by the Knights and Prospect came away with a convincing 40-7 Mid-Suburban East victory at Robert Hoese Field in Rolling Meadows.
"Last year we were more of a big-play team," said Dazzo. "This year we just grind it out. We just kind of nickel and dime it. So far we don't need to throw. We approach each game as a battle."
The Knights (5-1, 2-0) took advantage of a 26-yard interception by Bonahoom of a deflected Jack Milas to the 32 of the Mustangs (3-3, 1-1) on the third play of the game.
A clipping penalty on Prospect sen the ball back to 47.
Grant DePalma (6 carries, 32 yards) finished the 5-play drive with a 15-yard run on a lateral from Dazzo.
On the Knights' next possession, Dazzo sprinted 61 yards, escaping the ankle-tackle try by Joe Kropp to forge a 13-0 lead.
Meadows got on the scoreboard with 32 seconds left in the quarter. Taking advantage of a short punt, Milas (10-for-21, 55 yards, 4 interceptions) connected with Scott Shewmon for a 10-yard touchdown to narrow the gap to 13-7.
Prospect went up 20-7 on Dazzo's 22-yard run with 7:37 left in the first half.
DePalma put away the game for Prospect on its first possession of the second half. DePalma finished the 10-play, 87-yard 10 play drive with a 13-yard run.
Dazzo finished the third-quarter scoring with a 6-yard run. Reserve running back Ryan Ward scored on a 4-yard run with 3:18 left in the game.
The Knights finished with 367 yards rushing of their 406 yards in 54 attempts.
"We worked on getting into their defense, "said Prospect center Tony Babicz. "Each game the offensive line (Matt Boll, Dan Panicko, Peyton Eckert and Zach Lewis) gets better. We learn by communicating and experience."
"I thought our offensive and defensive lines did a great job," said Prospect coach Brent Pearlman, who won his 100th career game. "You can't try to stop one guy. We've got other players who can run the ball for us. We stress that the offensive line needs to work as a unit."
"They (Prospect) were just too physical for us on both sides of the ball," said Meadows coach Doug Millsaps. "You can't blame Milas for all the interceptions. There were a few tips that they caught and those turnovers hurt. This was an awakening for him. He had to experience this kind of pressure."
Bonahoom, Patrick Inserra, Ward, and Joe Randazzo all had interceptions.
The Mustangs could manage just 59 yards rushing, with 55 in the final three minutes, and finished with 114 total yards.