Libertyville motors past Zion-Benton

Libertyville fullback Noah Moderwell's punishing block on a Zion-Benton defender echoed throughout the stadium.

Actually, there were plenty of those to go around Friday evening as the visiting Wildcats put a 41-0 hurt on host Zion-Benton in the North Suburban Lake opener for both teams.

"He's awesome, a beast," said Wildcats senior quarterback Riley Lees, who because of that block from Moderwell was able to scamper 12 yards around right end for a first down late in the first quarter. "Total team effort. They (Zion-Benton) are a good team. We were just clicking tonight."

The Northwestern-bound Lees did his usual thing, tossing for 2 touchdowns and running for 2 more to bring his total to 10 this fall.

A big start helped set the tone as Libertyville was comfortably ahead 28-0 at halftime.

With a little over five minutes left in the first, Lees tossed a 5-yard scoring pass to Ben Kimpler and the Cats were off to the races.

"I was happy we came out fast," said Libertyville head coach Mike Jones. "Our defense was stellar tonight and we moved the ball well against a good Zion-Benton team."

Two minutes after the first score, Zion went three-and-out and punted and on the very first play from scrimmage, Lees unloaded a 53-yard bomb to senior wideout Henry Schmidt.

Libertyville put two more scores on the board in the second quarter, the first a Lees 1-yard scamper with 6:43 left in the half. Then senior linebacker Ryan Maher picked off a DeAndre Green pass and returned it to Zion's 17-yard line. Three plays later, Moderwell rumbled in from 9 yards out for the first of two scores on the evening.

Lees then added his second rushing touchdown, an 8-yard dash with 5:35 left in the third. The running clock was then initiated for the fourth quarter after Moderwell's second score, a two-yard plunge with 53 seconds left in the third.

Lees finished with 147 yards on 16 carries while completing 6-of-19 passes for 19 yards and the two scores.

Meanwhile, teams usually focus on Lees, but better pay attention to Moderwell, who rushed for 160 yards on 16 attempts and the two scores.

"He's a great complement to our running game," added Lees. "He takes a lot of pressure off of me."

And that Cats defense was on point all game long. Maher had a first-quarter sack and picked off his second pass midway through the third quarter. In fact, Libertyville didn't allow Zion-Benton to get a first down until late in the second quarter.

Zion-Benton's deepest penetration into Libertyville territory came late in the first half but the drive was thwarted at the 18-yard line when senior defensive lineman Kyle O'Malley ended the half after sacking Green on fourth down. That drive also produced Zion's first first down of the game.

Kimpler also had a sack in the third quarter that led to a Zion punt.

Offensively, the Cats outgained the Zee-Bees 426-134.

Libertyville travels to Lake Forest next Friday night for another NSC Lake battle.

"We haven't beaten them (Lake Forest) in a while and need to be even more prepared," said Jones after his teams' second shutout in three games.