Spartans finally top Highland Park

Updated: March 22, 2011 5:26PM

On a night when its school's homecoming theme was "Move with the

Music," Glenbrook North's football team was inert.

But that wasn't a bad thing. Far from it. The Spartans didn't move at all in

the CSL North standings Friday night.

They remained in first place after beating Highland Park's Giants 35-14 in

Northbrook.

"We played well, for all 48 minutes," said North coach Bob Pieper, whose

club (6-1, 3-0) led only 14-7 at the half. "We played particularly well

right after halftime. We talk all the time about how important the first

five minutes of the second half are. Getting that lead to 21-7 like we did. That was huge."

The Spartans scored on their first possession after the break to go up by a

pair of touchdowns. Sophomore running back Grant Rushing (22 rushes, 140

yards, 2 TDs) ran it in from 11 yards to cap a 78-yard trip.

HP, the two-time reigning league champs, slipped to 3-4, 2-1.

Glenbrook North senior running back Nick Freund (6 carries, 68 yards) also

ran for two TDs. His 44-yard gallop upped the Spartans¹ advantage to 28-7 at

1:43 of the third quarter.

North broke a 7-7 tie in spectacular fashion. Wideout Armin Batang collected a

quick hitch from quarterback Zack Hilgendorf and raced 86 yards along HP's

sideline in the first minute of the second quarter.

Hilgendorf finished 6-of-8 for 162 yards.

North linebacker Phil Crawford excelled on special teams, downing a punt on

HP's 1-yard in the first half and recovering a Giants muff on a punt in the

second half.

Running back Nate Echt and quarterback Cody Pantle each rushed for a TD for

HP, which beat Glenbrook North the past two seasons.

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