When St. Laurence senior running back Harley Rizzs took a jet sweep past Evanston defenders 29 yards to the house early in the first quarter, the fans packed in the Lazier Field bleachers knew that the Kits were in for a long night. 

After another score from the Vikings, they were quickly up 14-0. Then, following another three and out for the Kits offense, Rizzs took his own snap and ran it in from the two-yard line to put St. Laurence up 21-0 at the end of the first quarter. 

The Wildkits were not able to get back into the game, losing in a 42-7 blowout loss.

“St Lawrence was just more physical than us. We were not able to get anything going on offense and things just snowballed on us after the first quarter,” said ETHS head coach Mike Burzawa.

ETHS was also forced to play most of the game without its starting quarterback Colin Lavitino who went down with an injury in the second quarter.

The Vikings dominated the trenches as Evanston runners were blown up behind the line of scrimmage, repeatedly. In many of the Kits’ drives, they were stuffed in the backfield early which forced them to play behind the chains. 

“We did not do our job today, and my team sees me as my leader so I have to take responsibility,” said senior offensive lineman Chris Fargo. 

Practices will become even more crucial in the coming weeks as the Kits are looking to tighten things up in all three phases of the game.

“We have to evaluate where we are at right now. I thought we were ready tonight, but that was not the case,” voiced Burzawa.  “It’s up to our guys to work hard in the coming weeks to build up that physicality.”

The Kits, who are now 1-1, will look to bounce back at Palatine (1-1), a team that trounced the Kits last year, next Friday night.