Lake Forest Improves to 6-1 with 28-14 win over Illinois College
Defense limits high-powered IC offense to 14 points

Ashley Parham scored the team's third TD on a fumble recovery.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Mahaney (West Chicago, IL/Addison Driscoll) finished the afternoon hitting 16 of his 23 targets for 257 yards and a touchdown. It was the sophomore’s third consecutive game without throwing an interception. He connected with six different receivers, with senior Nick Hildreth (Lombard, IL/Willowbrook) leading the way with six catches for 105 yards.

Sophomore running back Anthony Gebhart (Addison, IL/Addison Driscoll) anchored the Lake Forest running game, finishing the contest with game-high 24 carries for 106 yards and a first quarter touchdown.

The visitors took an early 6-0 lead midway through the opening period on a 43-yard rush, but the Foresters responded with a pair of scores before the period expired. Following the IC score, a Gebhart carry for a couple of yards placed the ball on the Lake Forest 33. After an incomplete pass, Mahaney found senior receiver Mike Carter (Arlington Heights, IL/St. Viator) for a 46-yard completion, moving the sticks to the Blueboy’s 21 yard line. Gebhart added another two-yard pickup, then a Mahaney-to-Hildreth pass for 13 yards advanced the home team to the six, where Gebhart capped the drive with a dive through the line for his 10th score of the year. After the successful extra point, the Foresters led 7-6.

After taking possession at their own 25, Illinois College ran into safety Edward Kidd (Round Lake, IL/Buffalo Grove). The freshman limited a potential huge gain with a stop at the visitors’ 37, then recovered a fumble forced by senior Drew Holman (Morris, IL/Morris) to regain possession for the Forester at the Lake Forest 42 with five minutes to play in the quarter. Kidd finished the contest with eight tackles.

On the home team’s ensuing drive, five Gebhart carries totaling 37 yards and a 15-yard completion to senior Marty Quinn (Evergreen Park, IL/Mt. Carmel) moved the Foresters to the IC 2-yard line, where freshman quarterback Jeff Ziemnik (Oswego, IL/Oswego ) kept the ball and plunged through the line for his first career touchdown. Another successful extra point attempt gave Lake Forest a 14-6 lead.

Neither team scored in the second period, but the Foresters opened the second half with an early touchdown to pad their lead. Starting from their own 25, a pair of six-yard rushes and a five-yard pass to Quinn placed Lake Forest on its own 42. Mahaney then connected with Hildreth on a 55-yard completion to the IC three, where Gebhart’s touchdown attempt was stopped by a fumble. Fortunately, the ball was recovered by senior Ashley Parham (Redwood City, CA/Aragon) in the end zone for the score. The extra point kick gave the home team a 21-6 lead.

The Foresters added their final touchdown on their first possession of the fourth period. On second-and-11 from his own 28, Mahaney found Hildreth for a 22-yard reception. From midfield, Lake Forest picked up seven yards on a couple of rushes, then a 43-yard touchdown toss to junior Jeff Huebner (Antioch, IL/Antioch) and an extra point kick gave the home team a 28-6 lead. It was the junior’s lone catch of the day and the longest in his career.

A Forester fumble with 1:07 remaining led to an IC touchdown and two-point conversion to account for the final score.

The Lake Forest defense limited the Blueboys, who entered the game averaging 41 points per contest, to just 14 points on Saturday and recorded a pair of interceptions and four sacks. Holman notched the team’s first pick with less than six minutes to play in the second quarter and senior Chris Polizzi (Great Barrington, MA/Williston) recorded the fourth of his career with 5:40 to play in the contest. Sophomore linebacker Ryan Gallegos (Plantation, FL/St. Thomas Aquinas) finished with a dozen tackles and classmate Louis Bertuca (Chicago, IL/Fenwick) added eight.

The Foresters will play next Saturday (October 23) evening at 6:00 at Carroll College (3-4, 3-3 MWC). The squad will look to avenge a 13-7 loss to the Pioneers a year ago.

By Franklyn Beckford

Box Score