LZ Should Have No Problem Against 0-4 Mustangs

In the last of a three straight home games last week, the , scoring 21 points before the Eagles managed a single first down. They now travel to Mundelein on Friday for the first of three consecutive games on the road before returning home on Oct. 14 for a conference game against Lake Forest.

The Mustangs (0-4) are still looking for their first win of the season, and barring a miracle, it’s not going to happen Friday night when they host .

Mundelein opened the season at home and played their best game to date, a 29-20 loss to Wheeling. After the Wildcats scored a touchdown in the first quarter and another in the second on a pair of runs into the end zone, the Mustangs came galloping back with two scores before halftime to knot the score at 14-14. The first touchdown was the result of an 85-yard run by running back L.D. Frison, and the second was a two-yarder, also by Frison.

Wheeling scored 15 unanswered points in the third quarter to take a 29-14 lead, although the Mustangs made it close by scoring again in the fourth quarter on a 29-yard run by Frison, who finished the game with seven rushes for 115 yards.

After their hang-tough performance against Wheeling, the bottom dropped out in games two and three, as Mundelein was blown out by Prairie Ridge 47-2 and NSC Lake Division foes Lake Forest 49-0. In their second game of the season against the Wolves, the only points the Mustangs scored were on a safety in the third quarter when Prairie Ridge fumbled in the end zone. Outscoring Mundelein 27-0 in the second quarter, the Wolves led 33-0 at the half.

In their third game against Lake Forest, it was more of the same. The Mustangs' sieve-like defense allowed the Scouts’ running back Owen Williams to run for 170 yards on 11 carries, good for three touchdowns. Factor in six turnovers by Mundelein and you have the makings for a massacre. The Scouts kept their offense on an even keel, scoring 14 points in each of the first three quarters before tailing off to seven in the fourth.

In last week’s home game, the Mustangs kept things from getting too out of hand, as they lost to Lake Division rival Libertyville 28-7. Mundelein finally scored a touchdown in that game, after being kept out of the end zone for eight quarters following their fourth quarter score in their opening game against Wheaton.

Lake Zurich knows that this will be one of the most lopsided match-ups of the season. Look for coach Bryan Stortz to start substituting starters at some point in the second or third quarters if the Bears start running up the score. There clearly will be no sense in risking injuries to some of the team’s key players, especially with their schedule getting progressively more difficult in their second and third games of this three-game road swing. After Mundelein, they play conference rivals Libertyville and then Stevenson, two teams that are also 3-1 so far this season.

With back-to-back wins against Grant and Lakes, Lake Zurich is starting to hit their stride this season. The defense has been keeping opposing team's offense honest all season, especially the play of premiere linebacker Jack Lynn and defensive backs Chris Rantis and Grant Soucy. Senior linebacker Taylor Coleman and junior defensive lineman Rocky Triggiano have also come into their own this year.

Zach Till, in his second start last week after missing the first two contests with an ankle sprain, had one of his best all-around games, passing for 169 yards (9-for12) while rushing for 102 yards on 17 carries. And receiver John Orlando had a stellar performance against Lakes as he set a school record with 135 yards receiving. Add running back Mike Shield to the mix, as well as Mike Rantis, and the Bears are approaching a better balance between offense and defense, which is so important as they enter the most difficult stretch of their schedule.

Friday Night Flashback: Last year, on Oct. 15, the . Linebacker J.J. Raffelson sacked Mundelein quarterback Gable Leppert three times and Zach Till had his best game of the season, throwing for 223 yards and three touchdowns. Mike Shield rushed for 54 yards on 12 carries as running back Jacob Brinlee sat out the game with an injury.