In the midst of the most important football game of the year, Buffalo Grove players found life’s little lesson about procrastination staring them in the face.
But by the time the message sank in during Wednesday’s Class 6A playoff game against Stevenson, it was too late. Visiting Stevenson fought off a last-minute attack for a 20-14 victory, leaving No. 20 Buffalo Grove (7-3) no time to do tomorrow what it wanted to do today.
“We knocked off that team (McHenry) that won 35 in a row, we beat Lake Forest. Now let’s hope and pray we get one team,” Stevenson coach Bill Mitz told his euphoric team in the postgame huddle. “The Wildcats.”
Mitz got his wish. No. 16 Libertyville (10-0) beat Waukegan 22-0 and plays host to Stevenson (8-2) Saturday.
But for a few moments, the Patriots nearly witnessed a shocking ending to their season. After Stevenson had built a 20-0 lead with just 8 minutes 46 seconds to play, Buffalo Grove scored twice in four minutes and regained possession with 3:05 left.
It was more than enough time for Bison quarterback Brendan Doyle (17 of 30 for 173 yards and two touchdowns) to move his team downfield, but Stevenson’s defense had the final word.
On third and 8 from Stevenson’s 32, Roger Redmond broke through and smothered Doyle, who had slipped, for an 8-yard loss with 2:02 left.
That left Buffalo Grove’s season hinging on fourth and 16. Doyle dropped back again, but the blitzing Regan Earl slammed the door shut with Stevenson’s second straight sack. “I got a little jealous of Redmond,” Earl joked, referring to his teammate’s previous hit. “I wanted the stats, too.”
Behind its trademark running game, Stevenson was the working definition of ball control, collecting 21 first downs, while Buffalo Grove ran just four plays in the first quarter.
Stevenson moved the ball behind its generous supply of backs-Faraji Leary (149 yards on 33 carries), Jason Cato (93 yards on 24 carries) and Robert Liszka.
But the Pats didn’t get score until late in the second quarter, when Leary’s 3-yard run capped a 13-play drive. Vito Virgilio kicked the extra point to make it 7-0 with just one minute before halftime.
The momentum carried over into the third quarter as Stevenson scored twice more-on a 3-yard run by Cato and a 6-yard ramble by Leary-to make it 20-0.
Doyle tried to revive Buffalo Grove in the fourth, throwing a 16-yard TD pass to Scott Boyer and a 17-yarder to Garifo, but it was too little, too late.
The message was not lost on Buffalo Grove coach Rich Roberts.
“As you go through life, don’t wait until the end,” he told his quiet locker room after the game. “Do your best now. Drive your hardest now. Tell your parents you love them now. That’s what it’s all about.”
