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Schools

Lake Forest Football Players Set Priorities For Highland Park

After opening loss at Buffalo Grove, Bo Dever and Jordan Beck say team will play better Friday night

Even in high school, athletes call team meetings.

It was last Saturday morning after had watched film of the previous night's 31-24 loss at Buffalo Grove, a game where they physically had been beaten up. The coaches left the room and it was just the players and a chalkboard. 

One-by-one, running back Owen Williams, linebackers Nick Keefe and Brandt Pfeifer, quarterback Jordan Beck and wide receiver/punter Bo Dever got up and grabbed a stick of chalk.

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"All of us seniors and wrote up on the board what we need to do during the week of practice to be sure we are ready mentally and physically," said Dever. 

They wrote words like "intensity" and "start the game mentally not physically," and "do your job."

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Simple messages, but when collectively not done right, it adds up to what happened last Friday: 120 yards in combined penalties. The defense allowing almost 300 yards rushing. Two turnovers.

"There were countless mistakes on offense, so it wasn't just the defense," said Dever. "It's the little things we need to perfect."

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hopes to build on a late fourth quarter, seven-minute, 10-play drive that led to their final score against Buffalo Grove. It was capped by a terrific six-yard one-armed touchdown catch by Dever from Beck, who fell down prematurely and still made the acrobatic reception. 

"It's called 60 stop," said the 6-foot-2, 195-pound Dever, who finished the game with seven catches and 61 receiving yards. "I was supposed to press the corner into the back of the end zone and (get to) pylon. I just fell down. I cramped up."

Although the touchdown was meaningless in terms of the game's outcome, it did have a carryover effect into this week's preparations.

"One of the good things is we were able to move the ball consistently," said Beck, who combined for 186 yards rushing and receiving against the Bison. 

Said Dever: "It was a huge confidence boost. You end up with a score like that, it shows you can drive."

One Scout who shone Friday night was center Peter Durot. The 5-9, 210-pound sophomore did a nice job protecting Beck and running blocking in his first-ever varsity start.

should be able to drive and score Friday night against a Highland Park team that gave up . 

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Despite getting gashed, coach Chuck Spagnoli said don't expect any drastic personnel changes on defense for the home opener. 

"We'll get some other guys some reps, but for no reason other than we're trying to get better," said Spagnoli, who doubles as the Scouts' defensive coordinator.

runs a base 3-4 defense with four defensive backs. Early on, the Scouts’ strength appears to be its secondary, as the Bison threw for only 95 yards. New starter Tim Wilson played well along with returning starter Ben Warren. Where Spagnoli will have to figure out his rotations is along the front seven, where depth could be a season-long problem. Expect more shuffling against Highland Park. 

Spagnoli said he's encouraged by what he's seen at practice this week.

"Our kids have responded unbelievably since Friday. It would be easy to get frustrated and down," said Spagnoli after Wednesday's practice. "As long as they are productive. It’s never about one guy."

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Friday's home opener against Highland Park is the first regular season meeting between the schools since anyone can remember (anyone know this stat? If so, email us). The proximity of the schools — separated by just over five miles down Western and Sheridan roads — would make it an obvious rival. But can you be rivals with a school you don't play?

"That's a great question and I don't have the answer to it," said Spagnoli. "There is an obvious social network between the two communities. We never see them. First time I saw them on film was for this game."

Rivalry or not, it will be a great atmosphere at Varsity Field on Friday night. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

Does Scouts senior linebacker Matt Wagener think of Highland Park as a rival? You can watch our interview with Wagener in the debut of our weekly "4 Questions" segment.

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