High school football: Marengo holds off Woodstock North

MARENGO – Marengo quarterback Travis Knaak missed on four straight passes to end an Indians’ drive midway through the fourth quarter Friday, not knowing if he would get another chance in a tie game against Woodstock North.

When Marengo got the ball back with less than 2:30 remaining and the game still tied, Knaak trusted his arm and his receivers to make a play down the field.

On third-and-13 from the Indians' 47-yard line, the senior launched a pass almost 40 yards down the right sideline, and Aaron Shepard came down with the ball near the Thunder 15-yard line, dragging a North defender all the way to the 1.

On the next play, Knaak got turned around on a sneak, but his momentum carried him into the end zone with 35 seconds left to give his team the lead for good.

Cole Davis intercepted North's Ryan Zinnen with 19 seconds left, and the Indians beat the Thunder, 29-22, improving to 4-2 overall and 3-0 in the Kishwaukee River Conference.

"I knew we needed a big play," said Knaak, who finished with 313 yards of total offense and four scores. "We were so close on so many. I just knew my guy was gonna go up and get it no matter what. I put it up, and he just made a play.

"We never had a winning team since I was younger in junior tackle [football]. These guys are great; they're my best friends. It's awesome to be a part of this."

Marengo's game-winning drive would not have been possible without a heads-up play by linebacker Blake Heinberg on North's previous drive. Looking to put his own team ahead, North running back Ed Flores barrelled for the end zone before Heinberg stepped up and stripped the ball away at the 1-yard line.

"I wasn't even going for the tackle," Heinberg said. "I was just going for the ball. I know we needed the ball."

North coach Jeff Schroeder wasn't sure if the ball already had crossed the goal line.

"When we got down, we put together a great drive and scored, and came right down again," Schroeder said. "I don't know where the fumble occurred. My guys in the booth felt like he was in, I guess. It's never one play; every play counts, and they made one more play than us."

Knaak was 16 of 31 for 193 yards, including an 8-yard touchdown pass to Davis (six catches, 66 yards), and had a team-high 120 yards on the ground with scores from 1, 9 and 1 yards out.

Finn Schirmer, who entered the game with 618 rushing yards, was forced from the game toward the end of the first quarter and had ice wrapped around his right shoulder after being looked at by team trainers. He didn't return.

"Even without our all-star, we can still go," Knaak said of missing Schirmer. "We can still fight."

North (2-4, 1-3) led, 15-9, at halftime, but the Indians tied the game on a 1-yard run by Knaak with 7:43 to go in the third. The Indians took their first lead, 22-15, on a 9-yard run by Knaak with 2:52 left in the third.

The Thunder responded on fourth-and-goal from the 3, with Zinnen (99 yards rushing) hitting Carter Coalson in the corner of the end zone with 8:40 remaining, tying the game at 22.

Flores led all players with 151 yards rushing on 29 carries. Austin Zieman added a 6-yard touchdown pass from Zinnen.

STAR OF THE GAME

Travis Knaak

Marengo, sr., QB

Knaak had four touchdowns and 313 yards of total offense. He ran the ball 23 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns and added 193 yards on 16 of 31 passing with one touchdown.

Marengo 29, Woodstock North 22

Woodstock North 8 7 0 7 – 22

Marengo 0 9 13 7 – 29

First quarter

WN-Flores 22 run (Martinez pass from Zinnen), 6:03

Second quarter

M-Davis 6 pass from Knaak (run failed), 11:54

WN-Zieman 6 pass from Zinnen (Nolen kick), 3:54

M-Shepard 27 field goal, 0:09

Third quarter

M-Knaak 1 run (run failed), 7:41

M-Knaak 9 run (Shepard kick), 2:52

Fourth quarter

WN-Coalson 3 pass from Zinnen (Nolen kick), 8:40

M-Knaak 1 run (Shepard kick), 0:35

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING–Woodstock North: Flores 29-151, Williams 5-18, Zieman 5-6, Zinnen 12-99. Total: 51-274. Marengo: Knaak 22-120, Schirmer 6-33, Nolen 1-4, San Miguel 4-8. Total: 33-165.

PASSING–Woodstock North: Zinnen 2-7-2-9. Marengo: Knaak 16-31-0-193.

RECEIVING–Woodstock North: Coalson 1-3, Zieman 1-6. Marengo: Davis 6-66, Shepard 5-74, Nolen 1-5, Lohff 2-37, Schirmer 1-10, San Miguel 1-1.

TOTAL YARDS: Woodstock North 283, Marengo 358