Cougars Claw Trevians, 31-6
The train keeps rolling for the Conant Cougars.
Seeking their fourth consecutive victory to start the 2019 campaign, the Cougars ran roughshod over host New Trier, 31-6, to finish with a perfect 4-0 record in non-conference play.
Fearless fullback Malik Frederick led the way, galloping for 165 yards on 30 carries and 3 scores as the team tallied 354 yards on the ground as a unit.
“Malik is a special player, but even he’d tell you that he doesn’t go anywhere without the guys up front,” said Cougars head coach Bryan Stortz. “They did a phenomenal job ... and we gotta keep leaning on Malik and if he can get 30 carries and put up 30 points, that’s a really good outing for us.”
The Cougars got on the board with 1:07 left in the first when Frederick took it in on some tough running from 11 yards out for a 7-0 advantage.
Conant would tack on a 21-yard field goal early in the second by Gracie Rodriguez, set up by an interception from Roland Williams who had returned it to the New Trier 10.
Receiving the second half kickoff, The Cougars offense matriculated down the field on a 6-minute drive, capped off by Frederick’s second score of the night from 6 yards out for a 17-0 advantage.
Once again, the stingy defense gave the ball right back to the offense thanks to a tackle for loss on 3rd and 1 by Derek Lewandowski.
“Our kids really understood what we were trying to do game plan wise ... and these kids stepped up in some key situations,” said Stortz.
Frederick tallied his third score of the game with 28 ticks left in the 3rd quarter to put the visitors up 24-0. And after New trier finally got on the scoreboard 3 minutes into the 4th, Running back Jeremy Carrell (12 carries, 102 yards) quieted those still in attendance hoping for a comeback when he took the ball in from 29 yards out on a 4th and 4 with 4 minutes to play.