If you went to last week's game at Peterson field you got a free gift. It was a heart tester. Result: If you saw the game and your reading this, then you know your ticker is good for at least a couple more years as Knights nipped Ridgewood 28-26.
The first half of the game was easy - it was all Kaneland. Kurt Long returned the opening kickoff 35 yards to the 44 and three minutes later Shaun Wenz scored from 21 yards out and the Knights where off and running.
Ridgewood ran 3 plays and punted, but Kyle Schrader blocked the kick and the Knights had the ball on the Rebels 19. Then from the one Eric Delaney and center Adam Wallace did their little quarterback sneak routine and with only six minutes gone Kaneland had a 14-0 lead.
On the next series the Knights stopped Ridgewood at midfield. However, with the punting team on the field, the Kaneland bench received 15 yard penalty and the drive stayed alive.
A few plays later Ridgewood's Brian Rzewnicki scored and Kaneland's lead was cut in half, 14-7. It was only the second touchdown scored against the Knights "D" all season.
But Kaneland came right back and scored again on their next possession with Delaney hitting P.J. Fleck from 10 yards out and the Knights where back up by 14 again, 21-7.
The Knights where sailing and with only a minute left in the half Kaneland added yet another touchdown, compliments of a Kyle Schrader 3-inch run. Matt Gladd just kept kicking the extra points and Kaneland took a 28-7 lead into the locker room.
The Rebels started on offense in the second half, but Luke Peterson found a loose ball on the field and the Knights where back in business. They moved downfield to the 21 yard line and then it happened.
Big MO turned. Momentum - that precious commodity that the Knights have been able to control all year was going to leave them. Like a wave returning to the sea, it was gone. It happened so quick, as though out of the darkness came a bolt of energy landing smack-dab on the team in green and white.
Zap!
Delaney's pass into the end zone was snatched from the air by Rebel DB Michael Painter and away he went, 97 yards untouched, for a Ridgewood touchdown.
"I was upset with our lack of effort (to tackle Painter)," stated head coach Joe Thorgesen. "Just because something bad happens, we can't hang our heads and not react."
Thanks to a bad snap the extra point failed and Kaneland's lead was 28-13.
But the Rebels weren't done as few minutes later, Rzewnicki, who had 156 yards for the evening, broke through the Kaneland defense and high tailed it for an 82 touchdown run. By far the longest run against the Knights all season.
Rzewnicki then ran in for a critical two point conversion, but a motion penalty sent the ball back to the 8 yard line, where the Rebels missed the extra point kick. Trailing by 9 points, Ridgewood still had a little over a quarter to catch up.
The Rebels had turned into fast forward mode and the Knights could only hang on the best they could.
Next time the Rebels got the ball they drove 88 yards in 18 plays for yet another touchdown and with 6:26 to play Ridgewood had closed the gap to 28-26.
Ridgewood then tried an onsides kick, but an alert Jason Cornell grabbed the ball to avoid disaster. However, the Knights could not run out the clock and with 1:22 to play it was the Rebels ball at their own 40 yard line.
A 40 yard pass and - gulp - Ridgewood was only 20 yards away from a win. But this was the Knights - and nearly every Kaneland fan still had to feel in their heart that someone would step up big and save the game.
Thus, with time running down, Chad Herst burst into the Rebel backfield and Bang - a 5 yard loss!
"It was a pure adrenaline rush," commented Herst.
The play had forced a 4th down and with only 28 seconds left, the Rebels had to go for a field goal. A 42 yard field goal. Then with everyone holding their breath, Aaron Seibens sails around right end, dives, extends, and blocks the kick! Game over! Kaneland wins! Undefeated season still intact!
"At that time, I forgot all about how much my ankle hurt," said Seibens.
As the team was jumping up and down on the field, coach Thorgesen was relieved but not overly happy. "We'll take the victory, but we did not hit. There is no excuse for not hitting. We will hit!"
"You guys (Kaneland) have one #$%* (heck) of a terrific football team," stated Ridgewood Coach Allen Marks. "Maybe we'll meet again in the playoffs."
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