Lake Zurich and Antioch met twice last season, including in a second-round playoff game.
The Bears won both by a combined score of 68-0.
But Lake Zurich was shut out by Fremd in Week 1 and decided to start this rematch against Antioch with a simple plan. The Bears used seven straight runs up the middle to drive 75 yards for the opening touchdown.
Junior Adrian Stanek took the first six carries, and senior Brock Rubicz got the last two, scoring on a 17-yard run behind senior center Ryan Pease.
More Top Picks Best Yukihira Nabe Pots
The Sequoits made the defensive adjustment, however, hit some big plays with running back Gavin Stone and rolled to a 34-21 nonconference victory at Lake Zurich on Friday.
“A year ago, they were running it down our throat,” Antioch coach Brian Glashagel said. “We couldn’t get off the field, and they were grounding and pounding. Why wouldn’t you do the same thing? You’re a bigger school, let’s pound the little school. Our guys responded, which was outstanding.”
Stanek had 46 rushing yards on his first five carries and finished with 77 yards on 19 attempts. Antioch’s defensive line — senior Willie Hamilton and Harrison Victor and junior Camryn Mowery — won the trenches the rest of the way.
“I feel like there wasn’t really a strategy change,” Hamilton said. “We just had a reality check. We knew what we were in for, and we adjusted well to it.”
Most of Antioch’s scoring happened on big plays. Stone ran for three touchdowns, including an 85-yarder late in the first half. He finished with 160 yards on 16 carries.
Junior star Logan Lennon had mostly a quiet night, with just 14 yards on the ground, but he caught a 58-yard touchdown pass for the Sequoits’ final touchdown.
Lennon is electric, but technically Stone is Antioch’s speed back.
“He is our school record holder in the 100, so he is the fastest kid we’ve ever had,” Glashagel said. “Guys have angles, and they can’t contain him.”
Antioch’s first touchdown came on senior quarterback Ethan Patel’s 72-yard pass to senior wide receiver Chance Verden. They connected again for 28 yards on fourth-and-9 to set up a short touchdown run by Stone that put the Sequoits ahead for good at 14-7.
One bright spot for Lake Zurich was senior quarterback Joey Wessman, who found some success through the air. Late in the first half, he drove the team downfield and scored on a spinning, 13-yard run, giving the Bears a much-needed touchdown to make it 21-14 at intermission.
Wessman finished with 167 passing yards and 71 rushing yards. First-year Lake Zurich coach Dragan Teonic would like to take back a failed fake punt in the second quarter.
More Top Picks Best Kids Bikes
“We’ve got some work to do, obviously,” Teonic said. “We had a punt-run option that didn’t go our way. In hindsight, we should have just called it for a kick.
“We did not stop them much in the second half, but last week we didn’t do much offensively. We’re in the growth phase.”