Wildcats score a lot, not quite a playoff spot

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STREAMWOOD -- Neuqua Valley left Millennium Field on Saturday afternoon with the two things it needed most - a victory and the knowledge its playoff hopes remain intact.

But getting to that point was a little more difficult than the Wildcats expected against Streamwood. Despite a convincing 48-21 final, the Wildcats were tied 14-14 after one quarter and had only a 13-point lead midway through the third.

"We played sluggish, and that part was a little frustrating," Neuqua coach Bryan Wells said. "We just didn't play with a lot of energy. It's frustrating that we let somebody else set the tempo early."

The tide began turning toward Neuqua (4-4, 3-3 Upstate Eight Conference) midway through the second quarter. Leading 21-14, the Wildcats special teams unit lent a hand when Christian Eble blocked a punt. The ball bounced right into the arms of Will Radostits, who ran in from 12 yards out to give Neuqua a two-touchdown cushion.

"Eble went up for it, and I got a Sunday hop right into my lap," Radostits said. "I didn't have very far to go. It took us a little while to figure out what they were doing, but the whole momentum switched on that."

On the Wildcats next drive, Alex Lincoln found Conner Yearian for a 25-yard touchdown, Lincoln's third - and final - scoring pass of the day. He'd already connected with Josh Schaffer for 20- and 9-yard touchdown passes.

Down 34-14 at halftime, the Sabres (1-7, 1-5) got a boost on the opening kick of the second half, which Derrick King returned to midfield. Quarterback Noel Rivera later scored on a 6-yard run, which came after the Sabres failed to score on six plays inside the 1 and were then called for illegal procedure.

Neuqua regained control following a botched snap on a Streamwood punt at its own 2. Nate Pena scored on the ensuing play from scrimmage for the 41-21 lead. The Wildcats completed the scoring when backup quarterback David Svac ran in from the 35 with 5:34 to play.

Throughout the game the Wildcats fell victim to their season-long nemesis - giving up the big play. All three Sabres scoring drives involved plays of 28 yards or more.

They tied the game 7-7 when Rivera hit King for a 61-yard touchdown. They tied the game again when Rivera scored on a 47-yard run. And their final touchdown came after King's long kick return and a 28-yard pass from Rivera to Jim Katlinger.

Still, the Wildcats did hold Streamwood to only 97 yards rushing on 40 attempts.

"We came out kind of slow and then it just kind of hit us that we can't take any team lightly," said Eble, who also had one of Neuqua's three sacks. "When we started getting scored on, we realized the offense was doing all the work. That triggered us to start playing like we're supposed to."