Bison can't hang with Fremd

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:14PM

Take Mike Garrity out of Buffalo Grove's offense, and you lose more than 500 yards of total offense and seven touchdowns through three games this season.

Buffalo Grove (2-2) found out firsthand what that was like Thursday night in a 26-14 Mid-Suburban League loss to Fremd at home.

Garrity, who scored all three touchdowns and rushed for 169 yards to beat Conant, 21-18, last Friday, also suffered a concussion in the game. He did not practice this week and was prohibited from facing Fremd, according to Bison coach Jim Farrell.

"It was better on a short week to err on the side of caution," Farrell said. "We are a district and conference that has a set protocol on any kind of head injury. We have every confidence Mike will be back for us next week."

In addition to Garrity's absence, Buffalo Grove's offense was also without starting tailback Taylor Goyke (injury) and starting center Trevor Chandler (illness), Farrell said.

Fremd (1-3) took advantage by posting a 13-0 halftime lead, thoroughly dominating in time of possession (nearly 17 minutes to eight minutes), limiting the Bison to four first downs and just 80 yards total offense.

And they did it with a freshman quarterback at the helm. Sam Beutler (7 of 12, 114 yards) rocketed a 17-yard pass in the corner of the end zone to Jeffrey Diegel for the first score, and then commandeered a 15-play, 80-yard drive capped by Justin Wallace's one-yard TD run. Wallace finished with 151 yards on 31 carries.

Fremd made sure to keep the Bison at bay in the second half, scoring on its first possession to boost its lead to 20-0 when AJ McGee bolted 25 yards to complete a 10-play, 67-yard drive.

Buffalo Grove finally dented the scoreboard late in the third quarter on a 12-yard scoring strike from backup quarterback Richard Zirngibl (10 of 20, 112 yards, two interceptions) to Brian Akialis.

Beutler snuck in from the one to finish yet another long drive for Fremd (13 plays, 61 yards) in the fourth quarter, and Buffalo Grove answered with about one minute to play in the game on Zirngibl's four-yard run.

Fremd extended its streak of consecutive wins over BG to four, but the Bison still lead the series, 17-14.

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