Antioch starts new streak with 27-7 win over Grayslake
Changes are taking place in a big hurry for Antioch football.
The Sequoits broke their 10-game losing streak dating back to Week 8 of the 2005 season and opened the new campaign with a 27-7 nonconference victory over host Grayslake Central in the school's first test of the new synthetic surface.
Antioch let its running game carry the day, with senior running back Dan Larson scoring on runs 5 and 71 yards. Junior quarterback Matt Romani had two more rushing touchdowns.
"We had quite a few of them, and some called back," Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. "Those running backs can score and we've got some big-time backs."
The Sequoits rushed for 268 yards and 299 yards of total offense. Larson had 6 carries for 95 yards, junior Cameron White 9 for 52 and sophomore Steve Lorenzi 16 for 93.
"We switch every series," said Lorenzi, who had 10 touchdowns on the freshman team last year. "Everybody gets the opportunity for the ball and it's a good offense. Sometimes you don't know who's going to get it. I'd like to get it every time."
Antioch jumped out to a 14-0 first-quarter lead. Alex Pechauer set the first score with a 33-yard interception to the Rams' 17-yard line. Two plays later, Larson scored his first touchdown with 7:27 left.
Larson made it 14-0 on one big play going nearly untouched 79 yards with 41 seconds left.
"I saw a hole, cut back and saw daylight," Larson said. "I saw speed like that when I was younger. I give credit to my line -- I just ran the ball. With this team, I expect it to happen a lot."
Grayslake Central cut the margin to 14-7 with 10:27 left in the second quarter, when Rams quarterback Greg Bey hit Sean Bresnahan on a 27-yard touchdown pass.
The Sequoits' Romani extended the lead to 20-7 with just over five minutes remaining before halftime on a 1-yard quarterback keeper.
Antioch added one other touchdown when Romani scored again on a 4-yard score with 1:26 left in the third quarter.
"I like the way the offensive line took over in the second half," Glashagel said. "I'm all about boring football, and I know it wasn't that exciting. We had good runners and a good line. That's what we're trying to do."
Grayslake Central found some positive things in its game, and the Rams' shortcomings were obvious.
"I thought we performed well, but what hurt us was 3 turnovers," Grayslake Central coach Nick Goshe said. "We had a few chances inside that 20 that stalled out. We need to execute in the red zone. That's the toughest place to score.
"We couldn't stop (Antioch) and they kept coming at us."
•Grayslake Central will have a special dedication night for Alex Richardson in next Friday night's game against Grant. The Rams' players had No. 34 on their helmets in memory of Richardson, who was killed in a snowmobiling accident last winter.