Football: Kaneland hangs on to top St Francis

Updated: November 5, 2011 10:06PM

As stunning as St. Francis’ opening drive was Saturday night, so too was host Kaneland’s response.

The top-seeded Knights didn’t let Spartans’ running back Jack Petrando’s 46-yard touchdown run get them off their game, scoring 31 straight points heading into the halftime in a 31-28 win in the second round of the IHSA Class 5A playoffs.

And as crazy as it seems, St. Francis scored 21 unanswered in the second half to pull within three and seemingly had a Hail Mary 40-yard touchdown as time expired in regulation to win.

But an illegal participation penalty was called on receiver Jeff Rutkowski for going out of bounds willfully and being the first to touch the ball inbounds.

Oddly, the game did not end on that fourth down play and St. Francis was allowed one untimed play, which Rutkowski caught ... six yards short of the end zone and the game ended.

Kaneland’s first points came on a 42-yard field goal by sophomore Matt Rodriguez.

The Spartans (8-3) next drive stalled on a missed 33-yard field goal, following two fourth-down conversions, and the Knights (11-0) let loose.

Kaneland sophomore quarterback Drew David hit sophomore tailback Jesse Balluff on a wheel route for a 77-yard score.

Petrando’s fumble set up a David to Quinn Buschbacher 15-yard strike.

After a St. Francis punt, David hit Balluff on a 30-yard catch-and-run with 1:30 left before half.

Kaneland cornerback Jacob Razo’s ninth interception of the year on St. Francis’ very first play left 1:18 for David to take Kaneland 48 yards, ending in a five-yard toss to Buschbacher.

St. Francis quarterback Nick Donati ran for touchdowns of 51 and 70 yards on the Spartans first two possessions of the second half, cutting the lead to 10.

David was 21-for-40 passing for 354 yards and two interceptions, but it was Balluff’s gigantic game of eight catches for 180 yards and 12 carries for 89 yards that likely saved the day.

That and a little luck.

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