Chargers roll past Sabres

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September 7, 2008

By ERIK JACOBSEN Staff Writer

STREAMWOOD -- David Hopkins and Dundee-Crown's defense carried the weight Saturday.

Led by a pair of sacks and a critical interception return for a touchdown by Hopkins, the Chargers managed to keep host Streamwood's offense off balance for much of the game en route to a 21-7 triumph at Millennium Field.

The Sabres didn't score until early in the fourth quarter and mustered only 263 yards of offense against D-C, which showed considerable strides after being mauled by state-ranked Geneva in a season-opening loss.

"The defense pretty much won this game," D-C coach Mike Davis said. "We did just enough to score enough points, but the defense won this. They tackled a hell of a lot better than they did last week and they deserve all the credit."

Hopkins proved to be a menace to Streamwood quarterback Noel Rivera all afternoon.

After dropping Rivera for a pair of sacks totaling a combined loss of nine yards in the first half, Hopkins picked off a pass from Rivera on the second play of the third quarter and returned it 18 yards for a touchdown to put the Chargers ahead 14-0.

"I was asking my coach 'Am I blitzing the quarterback or what am I doing?'" Hopkins said. "He said 'Stay back,' and I saw the ball coming and I just grabbed it and took off.

"Against Geneva we weren't ready and we weren't physical. I just felt like I needed to step up and play like my coaches told me to."

D-C (1-1) maintained its two-touchdown advantage until the first play of the fourth quarter when Sabres junior Derrick King rumbled across the goal line on a 20-yard touchdown run that capped a 13-play, 72-yard drive that lasted 7:24 and cut the Chargers' advantage to 14-7.

With momentum on its side, Streamwood (0-2) had several chances to regain possession but couldn't come up with a key stop when it mattered most.

After converting on a third-and-seven play earlier on the drive, D-C faced second-and-19 when quarterback Logan Kissack connected with receiver Justin Strzelczyk over the middle for a 30-yard completion. Facing third-and-five four plays later, Kissack found Strzelczyk again, this time for a 9-yard touchdown strike that made the score 21-7.

"Unfortunately we gave up a couple big plays at very inopportune times," Streamwood coach Cal Cummins said. "When you have someone in third-and-long situations and give up a first down, that's devastating from a defensive perspective."

Kissack completed only 4 of 13 passes, but still finished with 126 passing yards and two touchdowns. One of those scoring tosses came on a 74-yard pass to speedy running back Ian Salvatini on D-C's only completion of the first half. Salvatini also led the Chargers on the ground with 55 yards on eight carries.

King led all players with 134 rushing yards on 22 carries. Rivera was 11 of 23 for 118 yards and two interceptions for the Sabres, who were without senior receiver Tem Esikiel, who was sidelined for disciplinary reasons.

"There were a lot of positives, but unfortunately I felt this was one of those days we went out there and competed, but (D-C) out-thought us," Cummins said. "We made some critical mental mistakes that really hurt us." Dundee-Crown 21, Streamwood 7