Rams too tough

Candace H. Johnson - lcjedit@nwnewsgroup.com Grayslake Centralís Fred Daniels (right) closes in on Jacobs running back Dale Cook on Thursday night in Grayslake. Grayslake Central won, 20-0. ( ())

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GRAYSLAKE – Jacobs started the game with a little deception when running back Zach Bates took a pitch, then fired a pass to wide receiver Derek Collinsworth for a 44-yard gain.

The play sparked optimism and put the Golden Eagles on Grayslake Central’s 24-yard line, but any ensuing highlights for Jacobs were minimal.

The Eagles gained only 76 more total yards after that as Grayslake Central rolled to a 20-0 victory in their Fox Valley Conference crossover football game Thursday night at William C. Eiserman Stadium.

“We were close every single play, but one person would do something wrong,” Jacobs running back Dale Cook said. “You can’t blame it on one guy. Our line’s pretty dinged up, so we have guys out there playing hurt.”

Jacobs (1-3) also was facing a revamped and improved Rams’ defense, which pitched its second shutout of the season. Quarterback Jason Judson carried for a 3-yard gain on the Eagles’ second play from scrimmage, which marked their farthest progress of the game.

“You have to give Grayslake Central a lot of credit,” Jacobs coach Dean Schlueter said. “They took it to us all night. They out-hit us and out-executed us. It seemed like they were more aggressive than us.”

Grayslake Central (2-2) jumped on top with 6:20 remaining in the first half on sophomore running back Joel Valdivia’s 61-yard run. The Rams added a third-quarter touchdown, then tacked on one in the fourth after recovering a fumble on Jacobs’ 32.

“We had a couple stops on defense,” said Jacobs defensive tackle Ruben Balleno, who recovered a fumble in the second half. “We just need to get better reads on our clues. We have to get back to work tomorrow.”

Valdivia led the Rams with 103 yards rushing on 13 carries. Running back Will Reed added 72 yards and quarterback Mike Gentile ran for 66. Grayslake Central coach Nick Goshe was more impressed with his team’s defense. After allowing 363 points last season, the Rams have given up 47 after four games.

“We’re hanging out hat on our defense,” Goshe said. “We made a real commitment to defense [in the offseason]. I never want to be a shootout team again in my life.”

Part of that commitment was moving some of the better athletes to defense.

“If we can’t stop anyone, we can’t beat them,” Rams linebacker Nick Mandich said. “Our defense has been playing great all year. We have confidence, and the defensive line played great again. That helps the linebackers out when they’re tying up all the blocks.”

One more victory will give the Rams their winningest season since 2003, when they set a school record at 8-3.

Jacobs is looking at the FVC Valley Division now, where it will see three state-ranked teams in Cary-Grove, Crystal Lake South and Huntley.

“Every game we think we can win,” Cook said. “We knew [Grayslake Central] was a tough team. They’re a scrappy team and they toughened up on defense.”