Schaumburg defense earns some deserved attention
Josh Marchok and Joe Zolper know Schaumburg is capable of putting a lot of points on the scoreboard.
They also displayed the ability to keep points off it in Friday's 29-17 victory over two-time defending Class 8A state champion Maine South.
"This was a huge step for our defense," said Marchok, a junior linebacker and returning starter. "That's always been a question-mark. We stepped it up and played our hearts out in this game and it showed."
But Zolper, the undersized 187-pound nose tackle wh had 3 sacks, said it wasn't just a game-day thing as the Saxons ended Maine South's 28-game winning streak.
"We are a tenacious defense. We are wild," Zolper said. "In practice we get everyone pumped up and we keep on going and going."
Stopping Maine South, which traditionally is one of the state's best offenses, on three consecutive three-and-outs to start the game was a big boost.
"That was huge," Zolper said. "Once we kept rolling it was easy to go with it."
By the time it basically ended with the Saxons leading 29-10 with 1:14 left, Maine South had only 205 yards of offense and 10 points.
"At every level we played together," Zolper said.
"Our offense always has been like a machine," Marchok said. "Once we get the defense rolling, that's the key. It was Saxon 'D.' We played 'D' as a team."
And the Saxons, who leapt into the No. 2 spot of this week's 8A rankings by The Associated Press, want to get the ball back to offensive weapons such as quarterback Mark Iannotti and running back Shepard Little.
"That drives them a little bit and they want some respect," said Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling, whose team hosts Buffalo Grove on Friday. "What's more important is they realize how talented Mark and Shep are, and if they play defense like they did -"
The Saxons will be a pretty tough team to beat.
Arlington Heights scoreboard watching: Last year when St. Viator and Hersey opened up with each other they combined for 14 points. On Friday night they put up point totals not seen since NFL players were at quarterback.
St. Viator's 63-0 win over Sullivan was its biggest offensive output since Brett Basanez led a 62-6 win over St. Francis de Sales in 2000. Basanez spent time with the Bears and Carolina Panthers.
Hersey's 47-14 win over Oak Lawn was its most points since 2004 when Tom Nelson led wins of 48-21 over Wheeling and 50-0 over Palatine. Nelson, a second-year safety with the Cincinnati Bengals, was just placed on the reserve/physically unable to perform list and will miss at least the first six weeks with a knee injury.
Hersey had scored only 53 points all of last season and 48 points in 2007.
Official business: Buffalo Grove senior Joe Damisch returned a fumbled punt for a touchdown in last week's opener with Mundelein. By rule, a muffed punt cannot be returned or advanced.
Department of corrections: St. Viator senior Marcus Niro (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) linebacker should have been listed among the probable starters in the preseason preview.
Return to the winners circle: Former Elk Grove head coach and Prospect assistant Bruce Bazsali's tenure at Rockford Lutheran got off to a big start with a 62-0 victory over Noble Street Charter/Rauner from Chicago.
Bazsali retired as a head coach at Elk Grove in 2004 and took over a Rockford Lutheran program that had lost 17 straight games. His team hosts St. Edward on Friday.
Game of the week: Two-time defending 8A champion Maine South doesn't have an easy task to avoid losing consecutive games since it dropped the 2005 title game to Lincoln-Way East and the first two games in 2006 to Indianapolis Warren Central and North Suburban Conference power Warren.
The Hawks will be in the national spotlight at 4 p.m. Friday on ESPNU in their matchup at defending 7A champion Wheaton Warrenville South and Illinois-bound quarterback Reilly O'Toole.