Zion-Benton
High School

2007 Schedule

8/24 7:30 @
Deerfield
8/31 7:30 H
Skokie (Niles West)
9/7 7:30 H
*Lake Forest (H.S.)
9/14 7:30 @
*Lincolnshire (Stevenson)
9/20 7:00 @
* Gurnee (Warren)
9/28 7:30 @
*Lake Zurich
10/5 7:30 H
*Libertyville
10/12 7:30 H
*Mundelein (H.S.)
10/19 7:30 H
Fox Lake (Grant)
#### - Enrollment
*Conference Game

Stadium Directions

Week #6 vs. #8 Libertyville (6-0)
9/29/2006

Off track, maybe for a little while.

Offensively, Libertyville wasn't its typical team on Friday night. The Wildcats needed to turn to other measures. Its defense and special teams rose to the occasion and they won its homecoming game over visiting Zion-Benton 24-6.  
    "We talked about those phases coming into play," Libertyville coach Randy Kuceyeski said. "Special teams were big and the defense played a key role throughout the game.
    "Offensively, we struggled a bit in the first half but we did better in the second half. Zion was a good football team with a lot of speed."
    Libertyville (6-0, 4-0) scored all three of its touchdowns using short fields and scored inside the Zion-Benton 30 each time.
    Two of them were set up on punt returns from senior Joey Bowens of 23-yards to the Zee-Bee 16 and the other 11-yards to the 29.
    "Field position is everything from kickoffs to punt returns," Bowens said. "The offense was struggling, so we had to get them good field position.
    The other return was on a Mike Luczkiw 50-yard interception to the Zee-Bee 20.
    Bowens started the scoring with 7:07 remaining in the opening quarter kicking a 28-yard field goal for a Libertyville 3-0 lead.
    After Bowens set up the second score with one of his punt returns, Wildcats quarterback Ryan Kennedy (6 of 16 for 53 yards) scrambled around and hit Dave DeRose for a 16-yard touchdown pass with 3:59 left in the second quarter making it a 10-0.
    Libertyville early in the third quarter capitalized off the Luczkiw interception and scored four plays later on Joey Schlesinger's (7 carries, 35 yards) 8-yard rushing touchdown and Ryan Kennedy added a 6-yard touchdown run late in the quarter, handing the Wildcats a 24-0 advantage.
    Zion-Benton (0-6, 0-4) added a late touchdown with 46 seconds remaining, when Kenny Davis broke loose for a 70-yard run.
    The Zee-Bees got off to a quick start threatening in the first quarter, knocking on the door twice before the Libertyville defense put its foot down and held them to a total of three first downs.
    "We couldn't convert early in the game," Zion-Benton coach Gary Bereiter said. "We needed some confidence in our offense. After that, they (Libertyville) shut our offense down the rest of the way."
 
By Rusty Silber

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Photo Archive:

Photo Ordering

Team Accomplishments

State Champs
None

Runner up
None

Semifinals
None

Conference Champs
North Suburban (Prairie)2003*, 2002, 2000

*co-champs

School Facts

Football Enrollment:
2767.00

Conference:
North Suburban (Lake)

Class:
8A

School Colors:
Maroon/White

Nickname:
Zee-Bees

Head Coach:
Kelly Rice

Last Season's Record:
1-8

First Varsity Season:
1940

Past Player Watch
-
-
-
-

2006 Schedule

8/25 7:30 H
Deerfield 1787.00
9/1 7:30 @
Glenview (Glenbrook South) 2683.00
9/8 7:30 H
*Lincolnshire (Stevenson) 4595.00
9/15 7:30 H
* Gurnee (Warren) 3931.00
9/22 7:30 H
*Lake Zurich 2182.00
9/29 7:30 @
*Libertyville 1954.00
10/6 7:30 @
*Mundelein (H.S.) 2295.00
10/13 7:30 @
Wauconda 1225.00
10/21 1:00 @
*Lake Forest (H.S.) 1754.00

2005 Schedule

8/26 7:30 @
Deerfield 1720.00
9/2 7:30 H
Glenview (Glenbrook South) 2676.00
9/9 7:30 @
* Gurnee (Warren) 3973.00
9/17 1:00 @
*Lincolnshire (Stevenson) 4648.00
9/23 7:30 H
*Mundelein (H.S.) 2201.00
9/30 7:30 H
Antioch 1609.00
10/7 7:30 @
*Lake Zurich 2128.00
10/14 7:30 H
*Lake Forest (H.S.) 1762.00
10/21 7:30 H
*Libertyville 1884.00

2004 Schedule

8/27 7:30 H
Deerfield 1668
9/3 7:30 @
Glenview (Glenbrook South) 2601
9/10 7:30 @
Gurnee (Warren) 3627
9/17 7:30 H
Antioch 2232
9/24 7:30 H *
North Chicago 914
10/2 1:00 @ *
Wauconda 1053
10/8 7:30 H *
Vernon Hills 1207
10/15 7:30 @ *
Round Lake 1510
10/22 7:30 H *
Fox Lake (Grant) 1416

2003 Schedule

8/30 2:00 @
Deerfield 1580
9/5 7:30 H
Glenview (Glenbrook South) 2500
9/12 7:30 @
Libertyville 1778
9/19 7:30 H
Gurnee (Warren) 3570
9/26 7:30 @ *
North Chicago 868
10/3 7:30 H *
Wauconda 1040
10/10 7:30 @ *
Vernon Hills 1148
10/17 7:30 H *
Round Lake 1470
10/24 7:30 @ *
Fox Lake (Grant) 1352

2002 Schedule

8/30 7:30 H
Deerfield 1492
9/5 7:30 @
Glenview (Glenbrook South) 2430
9/13 7:30 @
Gurnee (Warren) 3164
9/20 7:30 H
Lake Forest (H.S.) 1673
9/27 7:30 H *
North Chicago 859
10/5 1:00 @ *
Wauconda 1018
10/11 7:30 H *
Vernon Hills 1062
10/18 7:30 @ *
Round Lake 1483
10/25 7:30 H *
Fox Lake (Grant) 1261
#### - Enrollment
*Conference Game