Carter Grabowski, Kaneland defense power win over Wauconda

MAPLE PARK – After scoring a touchdown on its opening possession, Kaneland didn’t find the end zone again the rest of the game.

It didn’t matter.

Samuel Bruno kicked three field goals, the Knights’ defense held Wauconda to a single score and Kaneland held on for a 16-7 nonconference win.

Carter Grabowski scored Kaneland’s touchdown a little less than five minutes into the game. Grabowski finished with 130 yards on the ground as the Knights (2-0) controlled most of the game but couldn’t dent the end zone again.

Bruno kicked field goals of 26, 26 and 23 yards. The Knights had other chances to score but fumbled at the Wauconda 16-yard line and were stopped on downs at the 20.

The Kaneland defense stood tall.

Wauconda’s Jackson Rudolph matched Grabowski’s feat with a 13-yard second-quarter touchdown run, but that would be all the scoring for the Bulldogs (1-1).

Bruno made his last field goal with just under a minute left to make it a two-score game. Bruno has made five field goals in the first two games of the season.

“That was one of the biggest kicks of my career, probably, to ice the game,” he said. “It felt really nice to hit that kick.”

He said it takes a team effort to make the kicks.

“We’ve got these two juniors, they just came up to varsity this year, Nick Warner and Luke Larson. They’ve both been holding and they got the job done tonight,” Bruno said.

The Bulldogs had one last chance after Bruno’s kickoff sailed into the end zone for a touchback. Wauconda quarterback Logan Olsen hit Nick Ori for a pair of 30-yard completions and the Bulldogs were at the Kaneland 20-yard line and thinking about a quick score and an onside kick, but they ended up running out of time at the Kaneland 13.

Olsen finished 11-for-18 passing for 120 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.

Kaneland’s Chase Kruckenberg, went 10-of-15 for 124 yards. Dylan Sanagustin had 72 yards from scrimmage with three receptions for 48 yards and six rushes for 24 yards. He also recovered a muffed punt to set up Bruno’s first field goal.

Things couldn’t have started much worse for the visiting Bulldogs, who were penalized three times on their first four snaps. Even after a 9-yard Olsen completion on third down, they were forced to punt.

After a short kick, the Knights took over in good field position and needed only four plays for Grabowski to find the end zone.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20240906/prep-football/brunos-kicks-kanelands-defense-too-much-for-wauconda/