With just over five minutes to go until kickoff, fans are still filing
into the stadium downstate to watch the Hornets try to dethrone the Knights.
Kaneland lost the coin toss and will defend the south end of the field. It is a
very pleasant 60-degree evening. Hard to believe it's almost
December.
10:30 remaining in the 1st QUARTER
Nashville's Kelly Cruser has the Hornets on the move. After two uneventful
downs following the opening kickoff, the Hornet quarterback faked a handoff and
ran around end into Knights territory for a 28-yard gain.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 0
1st and 10 on the Kaneland 38-yard line
Nashville has possession
6:05 remaining in the 1st QUARTER
Kaneland's tough defense got a big first-quarter stop when they drove the
Hornets backwards after Nashville managed to reach the Knights' 38-yard line.
The eight yards lost forced a punt, which Kaneland let go out of bounds at
their 22. The first two plays run by Eric Delaney got the Kaneland offense to
within a yard of a first down. However, the third-and-short pass was deflected,
and the Knights had to punt. On the next possession, Nashville managed one
first down before turning the ball back over with their second punt of the
night. All-Stater P.J. Fleck signalled for a fair catch at the Kaneland 10.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 0
1st and 10 on the Kaneland 10-yard line
Kaneland has possession
End of the 1st QUARTER
From their own ten yard line, the Knights worked their way past midfield in
short order. Kyle Schrader rumbled for 22 yards on a 3rd-and-10 to get the
drive started. P.J. Fleck followed with a 29-yard catch from Eric Delaney to
move into Nashville territory. The Hornets defense stiffened to create a
4th-and-4. Spinning twice on the run, Delaney picked up the first down to keep
the drive alive. Schrader broke loose on the next play. Only Zach Borowiak of
the Hornets prevented him from scoring. The Knights start the second period
with a third-down situation from the Hornet 14.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 0
3rd and 10 on the Hornets 14-yard line
Kaneland has possession
11:54 remaining in the 2nd QUARTER
On the first play of the second quarter, Eric Delaney hit P.J. Fleck for a
touchdown from 14 yards out. Shaun Wenz, the Knights flanker, picked up a
Hornet defender to give Delaney enough time to find Fleck. For the All-State
wideout, it was his third catch of the day, leaving Fleck just four short of
the state receiving record.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 6
Awaiting the extra point play
6:03 remaining in the 2nd QUARTER
The kickoff after the Kaneland score was followed by a long scamper by Scott
Barr of Nashville, who took the ball past midfield. It might have been longer
if not for a saving tackle by Shaun Wenz. At the Kaneland 34, however, the
Knights went on the attack. Kurt Long and Shaun Wenz had consecutive sacks of
Kelly Cruser for a loss of 20 yards. The Hornets were forced to punt, booming
the ball to the Kaneland 12 with under nine minutes to play. Dan Emge broke
through the line to sack Eric Delaney for a six-yard loss, but on 3rd-and-12,
Kyle Schrader broke away for a 29-yard run. P.J. Fleck caught his fourth pass
of the night -- a 21-yard gain to the Nashville 40 -- and continues his quest
for the record.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 7
1st and 10 on the Hornets 40-yard line
Kaneland has possession
5:00 remaining in the 2nd QUARTER
Quarterback Eric Delaney ended the Knights last drive with a costly penalty,
pushing Kaneland back into their own territory. Delaney was hit with an
intentional grounding call, which resulted in a 21-yard loss. Bill McKneown
punted the ball back to Nashville. The Hornets start from their own 30.
HORNETS 0 - KNIGHTS 7
1st and 10 on the Hornets 30-yard line
Nashville has possession
32 seconds remaining in the 2nd QUARTER
A fourth-and-short goalline stand with 43 seconds remaining in the first half
ended badly for Kaneland. Scott Barr blasted through the line from 1-1/2 yards
out for six points, and Brian Piasecki booted the extra point to tie the game
at seven-all. Starting from their own 30-yard line, the Hornets did almost all
their damage on one play: a 41-yard blast through the middle of the line by
Zach Borowiak. The big senior halfback would have scored but for an open-field
tackle by P.J. Fleck. Little runs by Borowiak and Barr inched the Hornets into
the endzone from there.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 7
1st and 10 on the Knights 18-yard line
Kaneland has possession
End of the 1st HALF
The Knights were able to run two more plays prior to the end of the first half.
P.J. Fleck still needs three catches in the second half to break the state
receiving mark, and now the Knights need at least one more score to
successfully defend their Class 3A title.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 7
Nashville will kickoff to Kaneland
8:17 remaining in the 3rd QUARTER
Taking the opening drive from their own 32, the Knights drove 68 yards for the
go-ahead score, eating up almost four minutes of the second half. P.J. Fleck
made his fifth reception, leaving him just two catches shy of the R.J. Luke
record of 196. This catch was a big one, thrusting the Knights midway into
Nashville territory after a 42-yard gain. Kyle Schrader and Kurt Long then
shared running duties with short gains into the red zone. With just over eight
minutes to play in the third period. Schrader caught a 4-yard slant from Eric
Delaney for a touchdown. (This field report was hard to hear due to
overwhelming cheers from the throng of Knights fans jamming the stands.)
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 14
Kaneland will kickoff to Nashville
2:50 remaining in the 3rd QUARTER
The blood is in the water. Thanks to a record-setting performance by P.J. Fleck
and a finishing run by Kyle Schrader, the defending champion Kaneland Knights
now hold a 14-point lead with just over one period to play. After Kaneland's
defense prevented the Hornets from gaining any ground on their next possession,
Nashville punted just 20 yards to give the ball back to Kaneland at midfield.
Fleck caught a 9-yard pass from Eric Delany to tie R.J. Luke career mark of 196
receptions. Moments later, Fleck broke that record with a 7-yard gainer. On the
next play, Schrader broke through the line for a 10-yard score.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 21
1st and 10 on the Hornets 25-yard line
Nashville has possession
End of the 3rd QUARTER
Bryan Staker keyed a Kaneland defensive stand with two stuffs of tailback Zach
Borowiak for a net two-yard loss. A Hornet pass completion for five yards gave
Nashville their first positive gain of the third quarter as they finished the
period with just three yards of offense.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 21
2nd and 8 on the Knights 46-yard line
Kaneland has possession
7:35 remaining in the 4th QUARTER
P.J. Fleck extended his career record to 198 receptions with a 5-yard catch on
second down. However, Mike Nicoson sacked quarterback Eric Delaney for a huge
19-yard loss on the next play. The Knights booted the ball to the Nashville 31
on the change of possession. Kaneland's line seems to have solved the problems
caused when Zach Borowiak and Scott Barr get past the line but not letting them
get to the line of scrimmage. An offsides penalty was followed by two losses
and an incomplete pass, forcing the Hornets to punt once more from their own
23.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 21
1st and 10 on the Knights 34-yard line
Kaneland has possession
2:42 remaining in the 4th QUARTER
As the championship game approaches the final minutes, a successful title
defense seems more and more probable. The Knights are now grinding down the
clock with short runs and passes, including #199 to P.J. Fleck. The Nashville
Hornets have not allowed more than 21 points in any game this year in compiling
an undefeated record. Any score by Kaneland will set break new ground. The
Hornets also have never before failed to score fewer than two TDs in a
non-forfeit game this fall. Nashville will likely get just one more shot at
avoiding a single-digit finish.
HORNETS 7 - KNIGHTS 21
1st and 10 on the Hornets 18-yard line
Kaneland has possession
End of Game
28 IN A ROW! The Kaneland Knights will bid adieu next spring to a dozen senior
players, including All-Staters P.J. Fleck, Kyle Schrader and Eric Delaney. With
a sensational second half, the underclassmen helped send them off as two-time
champions and winners of 28 straight games.
FINAL SCORE: KNIGHTS 21 - HORNETS 7
 |
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
FINAL
|
| Nashville |
0 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
| Kaneland |
0 |
7 |
14 |
0 |
21
|
Scoring
|
| 1ST QUARTER |
|
|
no scoring |
| 2ND QUARTER |
| Knights
|
P.J. Fleck (#10) 14-yd pass from
Eric Delaney (#9) (Josh Dimitri kick)
KAN 7 - NAS 0 11:54 remaining
|
| Hornets
|
Scott Barr (#20) 2-yd run (Brian
Piasecki kick)
KAN 7 - NAS 7 0:38 remaining
|
| 3RD QUARTER |
| Knights
|
Kyle Schrader (#4) 4-yd pass from
Eric Delaney (#9) (Josh Dimitri kick)
KAN 14 - NAS 7 8:14 remaining
|
| Knights
|
Kyle Schrader (#4) 10-yd run (Josh
Dimitri kick)
KAN 21 - NAS 7 2:50 remaining
|
| 4TH QUARTER |
|
|
no scoring |
|
