Career day secures tie for East title

Prospect is the beast of the MSL East again, thanks to Miles Osei.

Behind a career-best performance from the junior quarterback, the Knights snared their fifth MSL East title this decade with a 45-28 victory Friday night over visiting Wheeling, which shared last year's MSL East championship with Rolling Meadows. Prospect, a lock for the playoffs, clinched a share of this year's title and is guaranteed an outright title with a win at Elk Grove (2-6, 1-3) Friday.

Osei turned in a monster outing, completing 15-of-26 passes for a career-high 329 yards. Throw in Osei's 122 yards rushing on 25 carries and the 6-foot-2, 190-pound left-handed QB finished with 451 total yards and six touchdowns, four through the air and two on the ground with TD runs of 8 and 9 yards in the first half.

"It seems like each week we challenge ourselves," Osei said. "The line did the job and the receivers made huge plays."

Osei's second rushing TD spotted the Knights (6-2, 4-0) a 21-0 lead. Prospect's second TD came on Osei's 8-yard TD pass to Austin Sobey.

"Osei is good, there's no doubt at that," Wheeling coach Dave Dunbar said. "He's quick. He's fast and he throws a super ball. On a lot of passes he completed, our guys had perfect coverage."

It was Osei's show, who had 312 of Prospect's 342 total yards in the first half. The Knights led Wheeling (5-3, 3-1) 16-4 in first downs in the first half. Osei was 10-of-17 passing for 209 yards in the first half, already eclipsing his 190-yard, four-TD rushing performance against Hersey in Week 7.

The Knights' no-huddle offense uses a five-wide receiver formation with no running back called the "M.O.B," or Miles-only backfield. Wide receiver Mike Przespolewski carried seven times for 59 yards, mainly on sweeps.

"(Osei) is a great football player, who makes great decisions," Prospect coach Brent Pearlman said. "The guys helped out. That was as good as I've seen Prospect receivers in a long time. They made great catches and some not-so-easy catches."

Prospect's other MSL East titles came in 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2006. The Knights won Class 7A state titles in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

Osei threw three more TD passes in the second half, two of them to Przespolewski (six catches, 83 yards). Peter Bonaboom (five catches, 172 yards) caught a 36-yard TD in the third quarter.

"I was feeling pretty good," Osei said. "I need to sustain that for a long period of time. Everything was clicking."

Prospect 45

Wheeling 28

Star Performances

Miles Osei: 451 total yds., 6 TDs

MIke Przespolewski: 6 rec., 83 yds., 2 TDs

Brent Schroeder: INT

Week 9 Matchup

When: At Elk Grove (2-6, 1-3) at 7:30 p.m. Friday

Where: 500 W. Elk Grove Blvd.

What's at Stake: Playoff positioning for the Knights. A seventh win should guarantee a first-round home game.