Glenbrook North avoids upset

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:24PM

It didn't take long for veteran Glenbrook North coach Bob Pieper to give new Waukegan coach Nick Browder an endorsement.

"Sometimes new coaches bring new life," Pieper said. "I hope they give Nick Browder the head job instead of making him an interim. He's a Waukegan guy. He did a great job."

The annual season-opening matchup between CSL schools resulted in a 14-13 victory for Glenbrook North at Waukegan Saturday. The Spartans beat the Bulldogs 28-0 in last year's opener, the first game for former Waukegan coach Derek Dewitt. Although Browder ran Waukegan's offseason program, the assistant coach was named the head coach just days before preseason practice began.

The former Arena Football League player became the third different Waukegan coach to open the season in the last three years.

"Of course (there were nerves)," said Browder, a 1993 Waukegan graduate. "This is a homecoming for me. Every game we play, this is a homecoming."

All the scoring occurred in the first half. The difference in the game turned out to be a missed conversion after safety Kenny Jones stepped in front of a Zack Hilgendorf pass and returned it down the side line for a 99-yard interception return. The TD pulled the Bulldogs to within a point after Glenbrook North scored twice in the first quarter, but an attempted run off a botched snap came up short.

Waukegan played without basketball standout Akeem Springs, last year's starting quarterback, who joined the team after preseason practice started. Springs could play next week against Antioch. The Spartans played without starting offensive players Chad Bruce and tackle George McCurdy due to injuries. Both players are expected to return in Week 2 against Lane.

Trevor Ponticelli replaced Bruce to make his varsity debut at wide receiver and caught Glenbrook North's second touchdown, a 22-yard pass, which tipped off Jones' hands near the goal line, but Ponticelli corralled the ball in the middle of the end zone. Ponticelli set up GBN's first TD with a 29-yard reception to the Waukegan five-yard line. Two plays later, Hilgendorf scored on a one-yard sneak.

"My dad (Kevin) just told me to go out there. You know the situation with Chad," Ponticelli said. "(The TD catch) was a broken play. Zack rolled out under pressure and tried to get the ball to me in the end zone. This morning I was very nervous about playing. I was hoping I would do well and make the coaches proud. Hopefully, I'll get another look in the future."

After Ponticelli's touchdown catch, the Spartans successfully scored off a fake point-after attempt on a pass play. Kicker Luke Stoner's first career extra-point attempt after the first touchdown was blocked.

Waukegan took a 7-6 lead with 4:16 to go in the first quarter when Maurice Childs took a pitch off an option play and scampered 79 yards for a touchdown.

"The defense played extremely well," Browder said. "I'm proud of them. I felt coming in that the defense was good. It's a testament to our defensive coordinator Tim Kinsey and the rest of the staff. They did a heck of a job with the kids."

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