Next year starts now for Lake View High School (1-8, 0-7). The Lake View Wildcats ended their season by losing 21-0 to Foreman High School (6-3, 5-2) in the Big Shoulders section finale at Hanson Stadium Thursday.
Lake View is hoping for better things in 2011 with 20 players returning. The Wildcats were derailed this year when eight players didn’t play forcing head coach Mike Menczynski to use four different quarterbacks.
Foreman has to be excited about next season after watching the performance of junior Sergio Serrano. Serrano completed 18-of-26 for 266 yards and two touchdowns.
“We played a lot better” in the second half, said Menczynski. “But for every good play, two or three bad plays. It’s not just a yard loss, it’s a fumble, it’s an interception, it’s an injury. It’s not small mistakes. It’s big mistakes.”
“We wish we were going to the (city) playoffs,” admitted Foreman head coach Earnest Wilson. “We made too many mistakes. I’m proud of them, but I thought we could beat Lake View. I don’t want to sound arrogant.”
Foreman and Lake View play in the Big Shoulders section of the Chicago conference, which has its own playoff. Wilson will find out this week if his team makes the Chicago playoffs since generally only the top two teams from each section advances. Senn High School (9-0, 7-0) and Taft High School (7-2, 5-2) made the state playoffs that start this weekend. Taft beat Foreman 28-20.
The Wildcats were able to move the football against Foreman generating 212 yards of total offense. Lake View couldn’t finish drives while they were unable to contain Serrano.
“We were in cover three,” said Menczynski after the loss. “I don’t know how you get beat deep? They were wide open. It was a passing drill for them.”
“He played pretty good,” said Wilson on his quarterback’s performance. “He still made some mistakes. We are looking for big things from him next year. He had some good moments.”
Serrano was outstanding in the first half completing 11-of-15 passes for 178 yards and two touchdowns as Foreman took a 14-0 lead.
Lake View was fortunate to be in the contest since Dawaun Stevenson missed two field goals for Foreman.
The Wildcats did play better in the second half on offense and defense. Lake View generated 135 yards in the last two quarters and failed to find the end zone.
“I think they realized it was the last two quarters of the season,” said Menczynski.
One player to watch out for next season is sophomore linebacker Ashley Diaz. Diaz started for a 3-2 sophomore team, and Menczynski admitted he will give Diaz a chance to be a starter or part-time player in 2011.
Lake View’s season was a mixed bag. The Wildcats only win was against Kennedy High School. In section play, Lake View went 0-7 and lost close encounters to Schurz High School, Clemente High School, and Prosser High School.
Senn (9-0) was the class of the Big Shoulders section going unbeaten while scoring 412 points in nine contests. Senn will face Grayslake Central High School (5-4) in the state playoffs this weekend.
One has to wonder, would Lake View be preparing for the playoffs if Menczynski hadn’t lost eight players?
that is desroy maxwell running the ball from amundsen
This post originally had a picture of an Amundsen player. We apologize for the error.
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