Libertyville’s Blaise LaVista sheds Stevenson’s Ryan Harris after catching a pass for a touchdown in a football game in Lincolnshire on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
John Starks
With both teams posting two lopsided victories to open the season, the North Suburban Conference opener between Stevenson and visiting Libertyville was going to be a huge test Friday night.
The Wildcats’ big-play offense proved to be too much for the Patriots as Libertyville led 22-7 halftime lead before rolling to a 43-14 NSC victory.
Libertyville (3-0, 1-0) was impressive in the first half as a 26-yard TD pass from Quinn Schambow (13-for-16, career-high 387 yards passing) to Sam Seth followed by Benjamin Ratner’s extra point gave them a 7-0 lead.
Libertyville struck again as junior Blaise LaVista (4 receptions for 235 yards) caught a short pass before racing 95 yards down the right sideline for the touchdown. After a Stevenson penalty, Erich Walldorf ran in the 2-point conversion for a 15-0 lead.
The Patriots came alive as quarterback Aiden Crawley (15-for-25, 152 yards) hit Mitchell Wiley with a 26-yard pass and Griffin Suren with 27-yard pass. Christopher Thorndyke (39 yards on 10 attempts) scored on a 9-yard TD run before Caden An’s extra point cut the lead to 15-7 with 5:54 left in the first half.
A 51-yard pass from Schambow to LaVista gave Libertyville the ball on the Pats’ 29. Then Schambow hit Brock Williams for a 19-yard TD pass and a 22-7 lead.
“They’ve got some great athletes, they do a nice job over there, and we had some mistakes in all three phases of the game so credit to Libertyville,” said Stevenson coach Brent Becker. “He (Schambow) is a great player, they’ve got six Division I athletes on their offense. We had a plan and we just didn’t execute it.”
On the second play of the second half, Schambow’s throw to LaVista was right on the money cutting over the middle as LaVista raced 90 yards for a 29-7 lead. Then Stevan Gavric’s 14-yard TD catch boosted the lead to 36-7 with 7:18 left in the third quarter.
“They work really well together, it was his (LaVista’s) turn tonight, and he made the plays he needed to make especially early in the game,” said Libertyville coach Mike Jones. “It’s hard to say I’m just going to double one guy because we have four guys so it puts a little stress on the defense.”
Libertyville quarterback Quinn Schambow is stopped by Stevenson’s Jake Zachara in a football game in Lincolnshire on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
John Starks
A 2-yard TD run by Frank Costabile (33 yards on 9 carries) cut the lead to 36-14 late in the third quarter before a 1-yard TD run by Schambow closed out the scoring. Libertyville’s Steven Strelow rushed for 80 yards on 13 rushes while Seth had 4 catches for 75 yards.
Libertyville’s Blaise LaVista makes a catch for a long first down as Stevenson’s John Concialdi tries to catch him in a football game in Lincolnshire on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024.
John Starks
“We knew it since freshman year that he (LaVista) can do it, and he did it today, he showed what he’s all about so I think he’s going to get the respect he deserves,” said Schambow, who will play baseball at Oklahoma State. “He’s just a great receiver, those long plays were amazing and that’s just what he does so I’m not really surprised.”