:quality(70):focal(1338x869:1348x879)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/HUNMSTW4OREIJNSHNLCN6XITYY.jpg)
Genoa-Kingston had scored seven total points in its previous two games. Sycamore opened the year with four one-score victories.
Both teams reversed those trends in Week 5, with Genoa-Kingston winning 41-0 and Sycamore rolling 63-0, both on the schools’ homecomings.
Here’s a look at each Daily Chronicle area Week 5 game.
Sycamore 63, Ottawa 0: This was the first game of the season for the Spartans that they didn’t have to sweat out the outcome until the final minutes. All four of Sycamore’s previous games were decided by one score.
“It’s been a nerve-wracking four weeks against some really good teams,” Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. “To come out of that 4-0 and to get here for homecoming, it was nice to breathe a little bit.”
The Spartans (5-0, 2-0 in the Interstate 8) scored five touchdowns in the first quarter.
After a big kickoff return to start the game set the Spartans up on the Ottawa 42-yard line, running back Kevin Lee stormed into the end zone from 27 yards out to put the Spartans on the board.
On the next possession, Carter York intercepted a pass and took it 30 yards back for the pick-six.
Genoa-Kingston 41, Winnebago 0: The first drive for the Indians (1-4, 1-4) ate up almost 8 minutes. On fourth-and-10 from the G-K 31, Winnebago quarterback Mitchell Cunningham rolled out right and took off, reaching the end zone. But a hold negated the score and set up a fourth and 2, which A.J. Rundblade converted with a run, but again a hold negated the gain.
Nolan Kline broke up a fourth-and-11 pass, G-K took over, Nathan Kelba took off, and the Cogs (3-2, 2-2) shook off a two-game losing streak.
“We kind of came out a little flat,” Genoa-Kingston coach Cam Davekos said. “But once we settled in the game slowed down for our guys. We settled into a nice groove there and they did a nice job.”
On the next drive, Blake Ides intercepted Cunningham, then capped the drive with a 10-yard sweep on fourth and 3 for a touchdown and a 14-0 lead. It was the only carry of the day for Ides, who was one of 10 ball carriers for the Cogs, with no one carrying the ball more than five times.
Neuqua Valley 35, DeKalb 12: DeKalb fell to 0-5 with the defeat. Mariyan Dudley had a long touchdown run for one of the DeKalb scores, while Billy Miller took a long post from Mikey Hodge and turned it into a second long touchdown for the Barbs.
“At the end of the day, a loss is a loss,” DeKalb coach Derek Schneeman said. “But there are things we can build on. There was success in the running game and I think Dudley gained a lot of confidence today.”
Neuqua’s Ryan Mascari tipped and intercepted a pass from Cole Latimer 1:15 into the game and returned to the DeKalb 17-yard line, where Barkley ran into the end zone for his first TD.
“It’s one of those things, the kid tipped it into the air and made a play,” Schneeman said. “For whatever reason what killed us was mistakes early in the game, turnovers deep in our territory. But that kid made a great play. What are you going to do?”
Latimer ended up leaving the game due to an injury. Schneeman said they are hoping it’s nothing serious. He said he liked how Hodge - who competed with Latimer for the starting job before the start of last season - stepped up.
“It’s always tough when your QB goes down,” Schneeman said. “But I really liked how Michael Hodge came in. He was a little nervous but once he settled in he did what he needed to do.”
Morris 50, Kaneland 10: Kaneland (4-1, 1-1) got its first break of the game in the second quarter when Jackson Little intercepted a pass and returned it to the Morris 10. The Morris defense was stout and forced a 25-yard field goal by Sam Bruno to get the Knights on the board at 28-3.
“We got off to a bad start,” Kaneland coach Mike Thorgesen said. “Morris is a very good football team with a good offense. We put ourselves in a tough spot getting behind 14 in just a few minutes.
“We have started strong all season, but we didn’t tonight. You can’t do that against a team like Morris, especially on their own field. We just have to bounce back and get better for next week [against undefeated Sycamore].”
River Ridge 22, Haiwatha 12: After giving up 22 points in the first quarter, the Hiawatha football team held River Ridge scoreless the rest of the way.
But the Wildcats hung on for the 22-12 win over the Hawks in Hanover.
“I felt like our guys didn’t come out ready to play,” Hiawatha coach Kenny McPeek said. “He got behind, and when our offense got going in the second quarter and second half, we just couldn’t get enough in the end.”
Tommy Butler had a 25-yard touchdown run and Aiden Cooper added a 6-yard scramble for the Hawks (1-4) against the Wildcats (1-4).
Butler also had 17 tackles, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and two pass breakups.
“You can talk all day about he plays defense,” McPeek said. “He’s only played four games for us and he’s averaging more than 15 tackles per game. He’s just a hound. He’s really good at finding the ball.”