Bears’ defense still a strength
Determined to put a 1-8 record from 2017 fully in its rearview mirror, Fremd came out with a few things to prove Friday night in its season opener at Lake Zurich.
The Vikings, older and healthier, did just that, hanging with the Class 7A runner-up.
While the Fremd defense was tough, the Lake Zurich defense, known over the years for its stinginess, was a little tougher.
Lake Zurich clamped down after halftime and pulled out a 20-7 win in a game that was tied 7-7 at halftime.
The Bears, who allowed just 9.9 points per game in 2017, were clinging to a 13-7 lead for much of the second half before closing the door with a defensive exclamation point. Linebacker Luke Dwyer, who will play next year at FCS powerhouse North Dakota State, had a pick-six on a desperation Fremd pass in the final seconds to seal the deal.
“Every Week 1 game is going to be a learning curve with things,” said Dwyer, who scored his first career defensive touchdown. “Our defense has a lot of experience back with eight returning starters. We knew it would be growing pains for our offense, so [the defense] knew we had to come into the game and step it up big time.
“If they can’t score on you, they can’t win. We knew we had to play really stout defense. They came out ready to play, but at halftime we really cranked things up and made some adjustments to help us win the game.”
Thomas Vages (106 yards) and Jack Moses scored Lake Zurich’s other touchdowns, both on runs inside the 2-yard line.
Fremd got its only score right before halftime on a pretty 53-yard pass from quarterback Andrew Saxe to Jack Hipchen. Saxe also ran for a team-high 93 yards.
Lake Zurich’s first four games are at home. In Week 2, the Bears host Nazareth, while Fremd hosts Hersey in a nonconference matchup.