Kyle Whitman’s late run lifts Grant to upset

Updated: October 15, 2011 12:29AM

Kyle Whitman scored on an eight-yard run with 45 seconds left in the game to break a 14-14 tie and give host Grant a stunning 22-14 win over previously unbeaten Antioch in a the North Suburban Prairie.

With the win, the Bulldogs (6-2) clinched a share of the division title. They likely will tie for the title with Antioch and Lakes, both of whom figure to win next week. All three teams will finish 5-1, including 1-1 against each other.

Next week, Grant plays struggling Warren (2-6).

Whitman, a running back, capped a 6-play, 49-yard drive that started after a punt.

Antioch led 7-0 at halftime on Danny Arden’s three-yard scoring run, but Grant went up 14-7 with third-quarter touchdowns by Jerry Gaylor (42-yard pass from Alejandro Villa) and Dillon Watters (65-yard run as the short man on a fake punt).

Antioch tied it on quarterback Josh Anttila’s 13-yard run with 8:30 to play, but Grant managed to pull it out.

“A lot of people thought we were going to lose this game ... didn’t think we could win it, but we can play football and we showed that tonight,” Grant coach Kurt Rous said.

Grant was led to victory by Villa, who rushed 16 times for 83 yards, and completed 7-for-11 passes for 99 yards and a touchdown.

After Antioch tied the game at 14-14, Grant got to midfield and then punted to the Antioch 12.

The Sequoits couldn’t move and punted to Grant at midfield, which led to the winning score. The key play in the winning drive was a pass from Villa to Ryan Volpe for six yards. Antioch was flagged for a personal foul on the play, setting up Grant at the 8. On the next play, Whitman score the game-winner.

After the kickoff, Antioch moved from its 27 to the 45, and threw an interception, with Billy Sullivan making the game-ending pick.

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