Grant knows the score

With a combined 72 points scored in the first half alone, visiting Grant and North Chicago knew they were a part of a very special football game Friday night in North Suburban Conference Prairie Division action.

The Bulldogs needed a win to keep their playoff hopes alive in Class 6A, and that is exactly what they did as they took a 48-24 lead into halftime before rolling to a 74-44 victory in this ultimate shootout over the Warhawks.

Now Grant (4-4, 3-2) just needs to defeat Lakes at home next Friday to earn a berth into the playoffs, but the Bulldogs will be hoping for more of a balanced effort from both the offense and defense.

Needless to say, offense was not a problem against North Chicago (1-7, 1-4) in this contest as the senior duo of quarterback Leo Minne (20 carries for 185 yards) and running back Steve Niewiedzial (24 rushes for 188 yards) were running up and down the field all night long against the Warhawks' defense.

North Chicago got on the scoreboard first on an 18-yard Keenan Handy TD run just 2:19 into the game, but a 5-yard TD run by Niewiedzial and a 17-yard TD run by Minne gave the Bulldogs a 14-12 lead with 5:04 left in the first quarter and they never looked back.

But after playing state-ranked power Vernon Hills pretty tough last week, Grant coach Kurt Rous was disappointed and concerned with his team's lackluster defensive play Friday night.

“We put up 74 points and our offense was good, but we were not focused tonight on defense after playing well last week against Vernon Hills, said Rous, whose team also had nine penalties for 97 yards. “The offensive line did a great job and when you get that many yards it's not just the two guys running the ball.

The two guys (Minne and Niewiedzial) were basically the only two players who touched the ball on offense in the first half as a 2-yard TD run by Minne made the score 21-12 with 1:42 left in the first quarter.

But then Grant really took command of the contest as as Niewiedzial scored on TD runs of 2, 7, and 17 yards to boost the lead to 42-18 late in the second quarter as an interception by Quinn Watters helped set up the third of those TD runs late in the second quarter.

The Warhawks' offense had some magic of their own as they scored on a 76-yard TD pass from Jermaine Garrett to Handy with 1:10 left in the first half.

But the Bulldogs proceeded to get the ball back and marched right down the field with Minne scoring on a 3-yard keeper with just 10.5 seconds left in the second quarter to make the score 48-24 at the half. Minne had missed the past two games with an ankle injury, but he returned to action with a flurry on Friday night.

“Our offense was amazing and I have to give all the credit to our offensive line, said Minne, who was 1-for-1 passing for 31 yards. “They locked on their blocks and I know Steve (Niewiedzial) would say the same thing.

It was once again advantage Bulldogs to start the third quarter as senior linebacker Matt O'Donnell snatched a Garrett fumble out of the air before going 51 yards the other way for a fumble recovery for the TD and a 54-24 advantage 1:42 into the period.

A 3-yard keeper for the TD by Minne made the score 60-24 with 4:49 left in the third quarter before Rous started to work many of his reserves into the game. The Bulldogs' option offense was nothing fancy, but it was very effective.

As was the case last week at Wauconda, North Chicago never folded in the second half as a 23-yard TD run by reserve quarterback Dashon Williams and a 2-point conversion cut the gap to 60-38 with 6:54 to play.

But this was a night where Grant's no-nonsense offense would steal the show as reserve quarterback Alex Cacchione scored on TD runs of 38 and then 32 yards to boost the lead back to 74-44 with 2:12 remaining.

Cacchione ran for 93 yards on 8 carries in limited action while North Chicago was led by Marvin Warfield's 83 yards rushing on 18 carries. Handy added 80 yards on only 4 attempts, including a 72-yard TD run with 3:22 to play. Garrett threw for 150 yards on 7-for-11 passing while Williams (4-for-12) added 95 yards passing.

“We've got to win to get in, said Rous, whose team had 29 first downs. “And we think we can beat anybody.