Boylan takes victory away from Belvidere North

By Kaila Olsen

Reporter

BELVIDERE – Belvidere North varsity football team played against Rockford’s Boylan Titans, on Friday, Oct. 23, at 7:15 p.m., at home. This was a conference game.

The game started very slow for Belvidere North. The Belvidere Blue Thunder boys didn’t score their first point until the end of the first quarter, with only 2:57 left on the clock.

Number 13, Bennett Ocono, Belvidere’s quarterback ran in the Blue Thunder boys first touchdown, but at this point in the game Boylan had already scored two touchdowns, and the score was 7-14.

Each team tried hard to keep their opponents out of the end zones during the first half, and tried to make good plays.

Number 16, Zack Cooper, Boylan’s quarterback, made the next touchdown of the game, with a 26-yard carry-in.

With only 20 seconds left in the first quarter, and the score of 7-21(Boylan), Belvidere North had possession of the ball. They tried to bring their score up with less than 20 seconds left on the clock. Belvidere North’s, Jason Rogers, #7, was able to score a touchdown, with help of Jared Cantu on the block. That TD brought Belvidere North’s score up to 14-21, but not enough to tie the game or take the lead.

Luis Garcia kicked off for Belvidere North, with only 5 seconds left in the quarter. Washington, a Boylan player, caught the return but was tackled by Terry Hudson. That ended the first quarter without another score.

The second quarter began with a flag against Boylan for holding, and a Boylan turnover. Belvidere took possession of the ball, but a loose ball recovered by Boylan, turned the possession right back around. However, Belvidere North did not let Boylan score off of this round of play resulting in a kick off to Belvidere North, which put North at the 32 yard line.

Number 30, Luis Garcia, was able to run in a 57 yard carry for the touchdown, making it a tie game (21-21).

Finally, the Blue Thunder Boys were able to make it a close game, but all they needed to do was to take the lead and keep it. The minutes left on the clock were winding down for the first half of the game and neither team was able to make a score to take the lead. A kick off to the Titans, with only 4:15 seconds left in the second quarter, went straight into the end zone. It was brought up to the 20 yard line where the Boylan boys tried to make use of that possession, but they weren’t able to score.

Boylan called a time out with 1:03 left on the clock. The next play Boylan threw an interception caught by Belvidere, but with only 15 seconds left in the second quarter the Thunder Boys were unable to make use of that possession. They went into halftime tied 21-21.

The third quarter started out slow and stayed uneventful most of the whole 12 minutes. The ball possession went from Belvidere North to Boylan Titans, and then the Titans back to Belvidere. Back and forth the whole third quarter with no score on either side.

The first six minutes of the fourth quarter were just as uneventful as the whole third quarter. With 5:02 left of the game, Boylan was finally able to bring in a 47 yard touchdown to break the tie and take the lead.

Unfortunately, for the Titans, North’s, Josiah Cattage, #15, was able to block their field goal attempt, making the score 21-27.

Belvidere North had possession of the ball and needed to make use of it. As they tried making their way down the field, with only 3:48 left to play, and on their last down, Ocono, #13, threw an incomplete pass. Boylan got the ball at the 42 yard line with less than two minutes left in the game. A 60 yard carry for a Boylan touchdown made the score 21-33, with 1:23 left on the clock.
The Blue Thunder Boys were unable to make another score and lost to the Boylan Titans with a final score of 21-33.

“We could have played a lot harder and stronger,” coach, Jeff Beck said after the game. “We needed to get points on the board and were unable to do that.”

Belvidere North plays a non-conference game against Kaneland (Maple Park, Ill.) at home on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m.