High-octane Elk Grove rolls

Updated: October 1, 2011 12:25AM

Rolling Meadows entered Friday’s Mid-Suburban East showdown at Elk Grove as the team with the reputation as an offensive juggernaut, but it was the Grenadiers who put on the fireworks display, defeating the visiting Mustangs 46-7.

Stefan Skoneczka rushed for 161 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, sophomore quarterback Adam O’Malley completed 10 of 19 passes for 157 yards and Kishan Patel returned a punt 56 yards for Elk Grove (5-1, 2-0), which built a 32-7 lead at intermission.

“We were just more physical than them,” Skoneczka said. “The guys were blocking so well. I am just so proud of my guys. We always talk about how much we love each other and tonight we showed it. I’m so proud.”

Skoneczka opened the scoring with a 62-yard run on the game’s second play from scrimmage. Darren Little added a 14-yard touchdown run late in the first quarter, and after Patel’s long punt return extended the lead to 19-0, Skoneczka scored from 37 yards out.

“I cannot thank my receivers enough,” Skoneczka said about his long run. “The play is normally made to go outside, but I see a hole, my three trips guys just pushed their guys outside and I had a perfect opening.

“I got the easy job, I just have to run,” he added. “They have the hard job. They have to make the holes. I’m just running.”

Rolling Meadows (4-2, 1-1) finally got on the board with 2:21 remaining in the first half, driving 65 yards on 10 plays capped by a five-yard touchdown pass from Jack Milas (11-for-27, 108 yards) to Ryan Gunderson.

But Elk Grove answered 28 seconds before intermission on Skoneczka’s one-yard plunge.

O’Malley, subbing for the injured Dejan Basara (broken collarbone), completed 5 of 10 passes for 62 yards on the 64-yard drive to end the first half. Two of his incompletions were spikes to stop the clock.

“No matter who we have out there we going to show them all the heart we have,” Skoneczka said. “He’s a sophomore, he’s nervous before the game, but we tell jokes, we say, ‘Dude, don’t worry. We got your back. We’re going to help you.’ ’’

Rolling Meadows (4-2, 1-1) aided its own demise, turning the ball over three times in the first half on two fumbles and an interception.

“We’ve been preaching all week that we have to get turnovers,” Elk Grove coach Brian Doll said. “Playing a short field right now with our injury situation was everything for us, to be able to get down and score. That big run at the beginning of the game gave our guys a ton of confidence.”

Elk Grove closed the scoring with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns on a one-yard run by O’Malley and his 11-yard pass to Skoneczka.

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