Injuns End Shutout String

After playing the first two games with high emotion under the familiar lights of their home field the Knights traveled to Lemont for their first road game of the season and came out flat. As a result they uncharacteristically gave up three touchdowns and didn't score their 42nd point until there was only 1:40 left in the game.

But a win is a win is a win, as the Knights moved to 3-0 at the one-third mark of the regular season beating the tough and never say die Injuns from Lemont 42-21.

"We just didn't come ready to play," said senior receiver P.J. Fleck.

"We stopped playing in the second half, and they kept coming after us," added senior quarterback Eric Delaney.

But it was Delaney and Fleck along with senior running back Kyle Schrader that carried the Knights on their backs and willed them to victory.

Fleck had 10 receptions for 173 yards, with TD's catches of 8, 10, and 14 yards. Plus he hauled in two pass from Lemont quarterback Elliott Kaye late in the game. Delaney threw for a career high 322 yards connecting on 16 passes in 25 tries, 4 for touchdowns while running one in himself. Schrader not only gave support on the ground rushing 23 times (one TD) for 150 yards, but also throw a halfback option pass to Fleck for a 10 yard TD and caught himself for another 57 yard score.

The game didn't even begin normal for the Knights as it took them nearly a whole quarter before Delaney could connect with Fleck in the end zone for the first score. The TD capped a 81 yard drive, the Knights second of the game.

The next time the Knights had the ball it took them just two minutes to drove 70 yards for a second score. A drive highlighted by a 40 yard bomb to Billy McKeown.

Lemont however came back with a drive of their own. One that lasted five minutes, took 13 plays and concluded with a 9 yard end around by #24 Corey Tack who gained the respect of many Kaneland fans. The extra point failed.

Key to the drive was a ineligible substitution penalty on a fourth down punt from near mid-field. The flag enabled Lemont to keep their drive alive and ultimately score.

Kaneland came right back and in five plays scored again thanks to Fleck who caught two passes for 67 of the 72 yard drive, the latter for the TD.

At half the Knights lead 21-6.

The first time the Knights got the ball in second half they scored again. This time on another long drive of 67 yards in just 4 plays, capped by a Schrader 57 yard screen pass ramble.

But on the very next play from scrimmage Kaye connected to Tack on a swing pass and he bolted down the sidelines for a 62 yard TD of his own. Tack then took an end around trip to the end zone for the 2-point conversion moving the Injuns back into the game 28-14.

But the Knight offense was lighting it up as they produced yet another long drive. This time 65 yards ending with a 3rd and 7 from the 10, fade to Fleck and the Knights where back up by three scores, 35-14 with 1:11 to play in the third.

However, the Injuns came right back and with just 38 seconds off the final quarter clock, Dan Reynolds found a hole and scampered 29 yards for Lemont's third TD.

Surprisingly the Knights offense became bogged down as they were forced to punt in their next two possessions. But Fleck made sure there was going to be no more Injun scoring as he stopped both Lemont drives with INT's.

As driven to score 42 points for the sixth straight regular season game the Knights pushed the ball 55 yards and with just 100 seconds remaining Schrader made it 42-21 and it was over.

Billy McKeown also did his part snagging 6 aerials for 102 yards and Kurt Long helped running 9 times for 45 yards.

The Knights had 332 yards passing and 203 yards on the ground for an impressive total of 535 yards. Lemont meanwhile had 298 total yards. The Knights had 22 first downs to 10 by the Injuns.

The Knights came up on the short end in the Sophomore game 32-0, as Knights continue to hurt themselves with turnover after turnover. Lemont scored two TD's in the first quarter and added another in the third. The Knights tried vehemently to come back being down 20-0, but two turnovers in the final quarter lead to the a convincing Injun win.

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