Drew Surges’ hard running, inspired St. Charles North defense’s second straight shutout gets it done at Lake Zurich

LAKE ZURICH – Host Lake Zurich and St. Charles North entered a football clash Friday night with a couple of things in common.

Each had defeated a Palatine-based school in Week 1 last weekend. LZ beat Fremd, and St. Charles North blanked Palatine.

But St. Charles North separated itself impressively on Mel Eide Field after the teams did not score in the first quarter. The visitors skipped to a 24-0 victory behind junior running back Drew Surges’ churning legs and toughness and an inspired defense.

If that final score looks familiar, it should. St. Charles North recorded the same result in its defeat of Palatine last Friday night.

“Be relentless! Be relentless!” SCN coach Rob Pomazak barked at his offense in the middle of the North Stars’ second third-quarter drive. Freshman quarterback Ethan Plumb then hit senior Carson Kuligowski for a 13-yard completion, highlighting a trip capped by sophomore Hunter Liszka’s 42-yard field goal to up the lead to 17-0.

Plumb and Kuligowski had connected for a 46-yard touchdown to open the scoring at 7:32 of the second frame. Kuligowski (4 receptions, 77 yards) snared a dart from Plumb (7-of-11, 100 yards, TD) near the LZ’s 20-yard line and sprinted to the end zone.

Surges, a force at safety as well, finished with 19 carries for 121 yards, including a 10-yard TD run late in the second quarter. Junior running back John Vendl (5 carries, 73 yards) tallied the final TD via a 35-yard run at 4:14 of the fourth.

North Stars senior linebacker Kyle Nord was seemingly everywhere, and senior defensive lineman Austin Griffeth sacked LZ senior quarterback Jarred Meyers (8-of-21, 57 yards passing; 43 yards rushing on 13 carries) in the Bears’ penultimate drive.

Junior defensive back Nathan Carpenter came down with an interception with a little more than a minute remaining for St. Charles North (2-0).