Knights Explode in the Second Half

The Elmwood Park Tigers took the opening kickoff drove 65 yards on 8 plays for a quick 7-0 lead just two plus minutes into the game and it looked like another tough game for the Knights. But despite a bunch of mistakes the team in black and white scored the next 48 points to win the game going away.

The Knights looked both good and bad in this one and were lucky as heck to have a 21-7 lead going into half time. But this was homecoming with a halftime shows put on by the band, poms, and cheerleaders. All this was followed by a great fireworks display as the players came out of the locker room.

"The guys were really pumped up after halftime," said junior receiver Robbie Bieritz. "They were ready to play the second half."

"I'd like 'em to shoot fireworks every week," said head coach Joe Thorgeson, "if that's what it takes to get them going."

And going they did, as after their first possession the Knights scored on a 68 yard pass play to Bieritz, a 62 yard pass interception by Wayne Shaw, a 87 yard run by Ben Rogers (following a fumble the possession before) and a 31 yard gallop to close out the game by Matt McGinnis. That's 4 touchdowns by 4 different players in 6 possessions in the second half!!

But it wasn't always that pretty.

On the Tigers first drive Ryan Schrader intercepted an EP pass to stop the drive, but the Knights were called for roughing the passer allowing Elmwood Park to score their only touchdown.

The Knights offense then played nice football for awhile scoring on 3 of their first 4 possessions, compliments of Ben Rogers who scored from 3 yards out, Dave Issel with a pretty run from 64 yards out and Issel added another TD with a quick sneak from the one.

But then the wheels came off. When the Knights defense held the Tigers mid-way through the second quarter they had to punt. Problem is Rogers fumbled the punt and EP had the ball right back. Two plays later Wayne Shaw picked off one of his two INT's, but on his run Rogers fumbled again.

EP then moved right down field because of Kaneland miscues. First there was 15-yard face mask penalty, followed by a pass interference 15-yard penalty. This was followed by two possible interceptions dropped in a row. Finally Ryan Schrader stopped the bleeding with a interception that counted.

With the ball the Knights lost 20-yards on a holding penalty, where sacked for another 9-yard loss and ended up with a 4th and 46 and couldn't even punt for a first down.

EP completed a 41 yard pass but had the drive stall at the 1-yard line as the half ran out.

Despite all the problems Shawn Fuller and Mike Sondelski spent most of their evening the in Tiger backfield forcing 5 Kaneland picks.

This game could have been much closer as Elmwood Park finished 6 drives within the Knights 26 yard line being stopped at the 17, 24, 26, 1 yard line as time ran out in the first half, the 18 and the 2 with a fumble.

It was the good, the bad and the ugly.

There where 10 turnovers in the game.

Kaneland threw just 8 passes compared to 43 for EP. Ironically EP's only score came off a run.

Tiger quarterback Joe Turko completed only 16 of 43 passes - five of them to Kaneland defenders!

When EP did catch the ball they gained 22 yards at a clip.

Kaneland gained only 29 yards passing outside of Bieritz's 68 yard TD reception.

Rogers averaged 10.5 yards per carry gaining 179 yards in 17 tries with two touchdowns But he also turned the ball over three times on fumbles and dropped two picks.

Josh Dimitri was 6-for-7 in extra points attempts.

The Knights scored in every quarter but went scoreless during a 19 minute drought in the middle of the game when the outcome was still in doubt.

Senior Matt McGinnis scored his first career touchdown on a slick 31 yard run at the end of the game.

The final score was almost identical to last year as both teams scored just one point less than they did a year ago.

The sophomore Knights won big downing Elmwood Park 21-0, for their second shutout in a row. Unfortunately it looks like Brandon Sawyer tore his ACL.

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