The Wildcat football team was defeated 44-22 by the Lake Zurich Bears on Friday. The loss dropped the Wildcats to 1-4 on the season.
With both student sections decked out in hunting gear, both teams looked to hunt down the other in a North Suburban Conference showdown.
After kicking off to the Wildcats to open the game, the Bears quickly gained momentum when LHS halfback Demarqus Wilson fumbled the ball on the fifth play. The Bears recovered the fumble, then proceeded to take the early lead off a Michael Shield rushing touchdown.
Shortly there after, the Wildcats forced a Lake Zurich fumble and scored a touchdown of their own when quarterback A.J. Schurr took the ball 34 yards down the near sideline, tying the game at seven.
But the tie was broken when later in the first quarter Lake Zurich's Jacob Brinlee scored a 59-yard touchdown. Brinlee would score two more times to start the second quarter, putting the Bears ahead 34-7.
The Wildcats attempted to rally back numerous times through the second quarter, but the strong Lake Zurich defense, led by linebacker J.J. Raffelson, kept pressuring Schurr and the offense, stifling any significant attempt at a comeback. The Wildcats did manage to score late in the half when Schurr found his favorite target, wide receiver Jeremy Birck, along the far sideline, cutting the Bears' lead to 34-14 going into halftime.
The second half was much quieter than the first. Lake Zurich appeared to be on cruise control throughout the third quarter, with their star running back Brinlee getting significantly less playing time.
The Bears did put another ten points on the board in the third quarter, however, off a field goal and another touchdown by Shields. This put Lake Zurich up by thirty, effectively sealing the victory for the Bears.
LHS running back Jake Duguid also left the game late in the fourth quarter with a shoulder injury. He did not return. He will not play this week at Zion-Benton.