It’s been said that football is a game of inches. There was never more true when Brayden Knoll of Byron came up just short of the goal line with 10 seconds left on an extra point attempt in a 14-13 loss to Lombard Montini.
That's the obvious one. A more subtle, but just as impactful example occurred earlier in the second half. That is when Montini stacked up the Tigers inches short on a fourth-down attempt.
That one play may have been the most significant of the game, which was a scoreless tie at the time.
Going against a strong wind, Byron had taken the second-half kickoff and were pounding the ball down the field, taking valuable time off the clock. Had they been able to convert a first down and kept the drive alive, not only would they potentially score, but also wear down the defense and further limit Montini's offensive time with the wind at its back.
No doubt, Byron had the upper hand physically, but Montini was so battle-tested it had the tenacity to stand up to the Tigers. It truly was a magnificent performance by both teams.
Montini's coach praised Byron, calling them the best team in the state for last couple years and how focused his team was on this much-anticipated match up.
The final drive was evidence of the championship pedigree of the Tigers. With less than two minutes to play, Byron got off 12 plays, culminating in a Knoll touchdown.
NFL teams, such as the Bears, might want to watch game film of that sequence to learn how a two-minute offense executes. Additionally, brilliant playcalling on both sides of the ball by Byron coaches against this Catholic League juggernaut.
Afterwards, coach Jeff Boyer said the Byron program is not measured by wins and losses, even though they have one of the top records in the state the last few years. Yes, football is a game of inches, but it also about coming together as a team and performing at the highest levels.
That's what took place Saturday at Lombard and what more could you ask for.
We still have two Ogle County teams left, with Polo making the eight-man semifinals for the fifth straight year and Rochelle in the 5A quarterfinals.
In eight-man, it is once again the NUIC to the forefront with Amboy and Milledgeville joining the Marcos.
Rochelle continued its offensive onslaught against Lisle Benet, another Catholic Leaguer. Benet was so flustered by the Hubs that several unsportsmanlike penalties were called on them and a coach was kicked out of the game. In that particular instance, so many flags were thrown that an official even used his hat.
Rochelle coach Kyle Kissack has made it clear thar the Catholic League does not respect the brand of football the Hubs play. I can attest to that sense of superiority after covering plenty of Chicago-area teams.
A huge test awaits the Hubs against LaGrange Nazareth, a team more suited to be in 7A. Oh well, that has been the way it's always been in the IHSA playoff logistics.
The private/public debate gets the most play in football, but in looking at volleyball, golf and soccer this fall, it is just as prevalent. Maybe more so.
One sport that gets little attention is swimming. Competing against larger schools, the girls team from Byron won the sectional, with diving coach Garry Cacciapaglia and swimming coach Adam Gura named sectional coaches of the year.
More honors for Byron came in the form of Tim Starwalt making all-state in cross country with a 14th-place finish out of 258 runners in the 1A meet. He became only the second Tiger to make all-state (top 25 finishers).
It was heartbreak for BNC champ Dixon in the 2A meet, as the Dukes missed the third-place team trophy by one point.
Andy Colbert is a longtime Ogle County resident with years of experience covering sports and more for multiple area publications.
