Offense, Defense Combine With Special Teams In Evanston Win

Complementary football is what every high school football coach wants his team to play, and that’s something that Evanston’s Mike Burzawa has stressed in every single year at the helm.

So far, so good in 2023.

The Wildkits used contributions from all 3 phases of the game --- offense, defense and special teams --- to defeat Zion-Benton 21-7 Friday night in their season debut at Lazier Field.

Just enough offense --- the Kits scored on their first two possessions, and then sputtered after that --- combined with a stingy defense and a long punt return that set up the clinching score by Keran Pryor in the third quarter.

Sophomore running back Michael Pryor, one of several players who made their varsity debuts for ETHS, scored on runs of 17 and 2 yards for the winners, and the defense limited the losers to a 76-yard touchdown pass from Ramar Hudson to Rmoni Beals in the second quarter.

The game film will likely show a lack of consistency when the Wildkits sit down to watch it next week, as might be expected from an untested group of players. But Burzawa and his staff now have a foundation to build on.

“Great teams are the ones that improve from Week 1 to Week 2,” he said. “We came out and executed very well on offense so we were able to get two quick scores. And the defense? They played lights out! You have to give them a ton of credit. Zion-Benton had a couple of drops (by receivers), but I thought we competed ball and knocked the ball out, too.

“We hustled and we played intense. I’m proud of these kids, because there were a lot of new faces under the Friday Night Lights tonight.”

As well as the hosts played overall, Zion-Benton was knocking on the door early in the third quarter after Evanston failed to convert a fourth and 1 play and turned the ball over on downs on their own 35.

The Zee Bees moved inside the 10, but on a 3rd down reverse run Beals coughed up a fumble and ETHS junior Enijel Shelton raced 35 yards to prevent what could have been a game-tying score.

“That gamble was on me,” Burzawa told his players later. “We felt we could run it over that formation. It was kinda risky, I know. But I had confidence in our defense and they picked us up. Shelton made a heads-up play and the defense played fast and got to the ball all night.”

Even with that long TD pass to Beals, Hudson finished 5-of-18 passing for 119 yards. The Zee Bees only totaled 43 yards on the ground and amassed just 7 first downs.

Shelton’s timely recovery set up an even bigger play by senior Keron Pryor. His dazzling 46 yard punt return broke the visitors’ backs and he dashed 17 yards for a score three plays later, as Evanston eased to a 21-7 edge just before the end of the third quarter.

Pryor is a returning starter at defensive back but Burzawa may plug in the player he calls a “hybrid” on offense more as the season progresses.

“Coach Gessert (Kyle) is always arguing with me that we should get the ball in Keron’s hands more,” Burzawa said. “That punt return was a really big play because that gave us all energy and momentum. And then he came back and scored. That wasn’t a reward, just a play that had worked for us earlier, and it worked again.

“Keron is an electric player in the open field. He’s a hybrid, a guy who can do a lot of different things for us. He’s a problem (for defenses) in space and he’s done so well in practice that we want to get him the ball more in space. Obviously, he’s going to be an impact player for us.”

Early dominance up front from a rebuilt offensive line produced a 7-play, 55-yard scoring drive to start the game and another that covered just 18 yards following an 18-yard punt return by junior Avan Teuer.

New kicker Jasper Barney, a sophomore, also joined in the fun on special teams with a 50-yard punt in the fourth quarter.

Evanston will host Lincoln-Way Central in a non-conference game next Friday.