Another nail-biter adds to misery

Conant football coach Bill Modelski is starting to notice an ugly trend.

The Cougars, who won just two games last year, have taken a big step with three victories in their first six games.

But the Cougars remain just a few plays away from an unblemished season.

Friday night's 13-7 loss at Fremd was another example.

The Cougars played another solid game against a tough opponent, but fell short of an upset bid.

"Every game has been like this; we've been in some barnburners," Modelski said. "We've been right there every week. That's just the team we are; the kids don't give up."

The Cougars (3-3, 1-1 MSL West) can take solace in battling to the final whistle in every game. In three defeats, Conant's biggest margin was an eight-point loss to Prospect. The Cougars have lost their three games by a combined 20 points.

"All three of our losses, we've just scratched our heads about," Modelski said.

The Cougars let another victory slip through their hands against Fremd. The Cougars were forced to play without standout tailback Kendall Lane, who suffered a concussion last week.

"We knew on Monday he would be out," Modelski said of Lane. "He would've changed some things this game."

The Cougars jumped out to a 7-0 lead after quarterback Sean Smith scored on a 22-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-6. The Cougars converted two crucial third-down plays to set up Smith's touchdown.

After that, the Cougars had trouble generating any offense. Fremd's powerful defensive line overmatched Conant's offensive line. The Cougars finished with 72 yards total offense in the first half, with Smith held to 18 yards passing.

The Cougars managed just six total yards in the third quarter, allowing Fremd's high-powered offense enough time to get into sync. The Cougars, with just one defensive starter over 200 pounds, wore down late in the game.

Fremd seized control with a strong running game. Quarterback Michael Tauchman, who completed 4-of-5 passes for 72 yards and ran for 61 yards, found Zenon Kolakowski for a 22-yard touchdown late in the third quarter to hand Fremd a 13-7 lead.

With 2:14 left in regulation and three timeouts, the Cougars started the final drive at their 20-yard line. Kept under wraps all game, Smith hooked up with Kyle Klosowicz for a 35-yard screen pass.

A 14-yard pass to Ryan Amundson moved Conant to Fremd's 31-yard line. However, Fremd cornerback James Szafranski ended the threat with an interception.

Smith paced Conant's offense by finishing 9-of-21 passing for 88 yards and a team-high 23 yards rushing. Klosowicz added five receptions for 48 yards and Amundson grabbed four passes for 44 yards.

"Sean played a gutsy game," Modelski said. "He was getting chased around all game. I give him a lot of credit for a kid with not much experience at quarterback. We really had problems running the ball. They physically beat us up."

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GRENS: Big plays and four turnovers resulted in Elk Grove's fifth consecutive loss, a 24-0 defeat to Wheeling, now the co-leaders in the MSL East. The Grens, shut out for the first time, had their chances, but couldn't capitalize on four Wildcats' turnovers.