This week, Stevenson left nothing to chance.
The 11th-ranked Patriots barely squeaked out a victory last week, needing two missed extra points by Warren to stay undefeated. But Friday, they were in control from the outset and had the game in hand with 2 minutes remaining–in the first quarter.
Two first-quarter fumble recoveries and a dominating wishbone ground attack got Stevenson’s homecoming celebration under way early with a crushing 41-0 rout of Antioch.
“We got woken up last week,” Stevenson coach Bill Mitz said. “We definitely had some incentive. We felt we let up a little last week, and we weren’t going to do that again.”
Some predicted this would be the year Antioch challenged Stevenson for the North Suburban Conference title, but that thinking was quashed early and forcefully.
“Maybe they were mad about last week,” said Antioch coach Del Pechauer, whose team fell to 2-2, 0-2. “Every time we play them, it’s like this. Maybe we weren’t as good as everybody thought.”
Stevenson (4-0, 2-0) made its statement on the first drive, going 65 yards in an impressive display of its vaunted wishbone attack. Only one of the 11 plays was a pass, but it was a 29-yard swing completion from Curtis Zervic to running back John Riley that put the ball inside the Antioch 15.
Two plays later, senior fullback Joe Marth bullied his way in for a 1-yard touchdown.
Antioch looked ready to answer, getting an 8-yard gain from fullback Jeremy Grace on its first offensive play. But Grace fumbled on the next play and Warren McKay picked up for Stevenson, returning it to the Antioch 4.
That led to a second quick score, with Zervic running in from 4 yards out.
The Sequoits tried to regroup again on their next drive, getting down to the Stevenson 30. But sophomore tailback Quinn Gooch, starting in place of the injured Brandon Polheber, fumbled as he tried to find a hole, and Stevenson defensive end Jason Koren pounced on it.
The next play effectively ended the game. Marth busted out on a sweep, going untouched 67 yards for another easy score and Stevenson led 21-0 with 2:25 left in the first quarter.
Marth finished with 149 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries for Stevenson, which had 346 rushing yards.
“The line was amazing,” Marth said. “The holes opened up nice, and I just tried to use my speed to get out there and kick it in.”
