Saxons get revenge on Elk Grove

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:12PM

Schaumburg coach Mark Stilling knows he didn't do it by the book, but what he did worked.

The Saxons avenged a Week 4 loss and knocked off Elk Grove 38-21 in a Class 7A opener Saturday night in Elk Grove Village.

"I think the natural reaction after a loss like we had [36-34 last month] would be to change everything," Stilling said. "I made our major focus to do what we did and to do it better."

On its first possession of the second half, Nick Meyer, who ran for 154 yards and threw for 128, got No. 14 Elk Grove (7-3) to within 17-14 when he scored on a three-yard run.

But No. 19 Schaumburg (8-2) answered. After an offensive pass interference call, Shepard Little, who had 15 carries for 226 yards, broke a 73-yard run down to the Grenadiers' 3. Little scored on the next play to build the Schaumburg lead to 24-14.

Elk Grove drove 91 yards and scored on one-yard Meyer run. But the Saxons answered, scoring on a nine-yard pass from Mark Iannotti to Bob Quillico after an 18 yard completion from Iannotti to Kyle Lamberty on a fourth-and-11.

Then came interceptions, first Schaumburg's Dru Richardson then Elk Grove's Eddie Solorio. On a fourth down, Eric Carlson got a pick for the Saxons.

Schaumburg then drove the length of the field, all on the ground capped by a three-yard Little run for a 38-21 lead.

"Revenge is sweet," Little said. "Nick Meyer is a great athlete and we wanted to keep him off the field."

"Shepard is one of a kind," Iannotti said. "He's one of the best in the state and makes us better."

It didn't take Schaumburg long to get going. On its first play from scrimmage, Little broke into the open and went 62 yards to the Elk Grove 6. On the next play, Iannotti went six yards for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, Schaumburg found the end zone again on a 17-yard run by Iannotti to go up 14-0. The Saxons missed a long field goal on its next possession, but got the ball back at the Elk Grove 37 after a completion and a fumble. They moved inside the 10 after a series of penalties, but eventually Adam Syvertsen kicked a 24-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead.

Then Meyer got Elk Grove on the board with a 12-play, 88-yard drive capped by a five-yard scoring pass to Joey Bishoff that allowed the Grens to get within 17-7 at halftime.

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