The Lake Forest College football team opened the 2009 season
with a 14-7 loss at Aurora University on Saturday (September 5).
Aurora was listed 20th in Lindy's Sports Division III preseason
rankings. It was Jim Catanzaro's first game as head coach of the
Foresters.
Lake Forest senior wide receiver Dan Carter
(Arlington Heights, Ill./St. Viator) caught 10 passes for 103 yards
in the contest, including a 19-yard tochdown from junior Geoff Sobey
(Mt. Prospect, Ill./Prospect). It came with 5:28 remaining in the
second quarter and gave the visitors a 7-0 lead. It was his ninth
career 100-yard receiving game and he pulled to within 15
receptions and three total touchdowns of matching the program's
career records in each category.
Aurora took advantage of a Forester turnover late in the half and
drove 30 yards in five plays to tie the game. The home team then
took the lead on a 1-yard touchdown run with 41 seconds remaining
in the third quarter. It turned out to be the final score of the
contest.
The Spartans outgained Lake Forest 267-184. The teams combined for
just 33 rushing yards and Aurora held a 251-167 edge in passing.
The Foresters intercepted three passes and forced four of the
game's seven turnovers.
Lake Forest punted on its first four possessions before Carter's
touchdown. The Spartans punted three times, missed a field goal,
and threw an interception before their first score. The teams
combined for a dozen punts and three turnovers in the second half
as both defenses excelled.
Senior linebacker Chad
Zimborski (Waukesha, Wis./Waukesha North) led the Foresters
with 11 tackles and added an interception. Junior linebacker Anthony
Garetto (Orland Park, Ill./Marist) was next on the squad with
10 tackles and also averaged 37.7 yards on 11 punts. Sophomore
safety Luke Butts
(Warrensburg, Ill./Warrensburg) had seven stops, including two of
the team's 11 tackles for loss, and a blocked field goal. Senior
cornerback Lorenzo
Ramirez (Denver, Colo./Kent Denver) stopped a pair of Aurora
drives with interceptions and had two additional pass breakups.
Sobey completed 17 of 35 passes for 167 yards, the touchdown to
Carter, and one interception. Junior Ty Van
Valkenburg (St. Louis, Mo./St. Mary) led the visitors with 36
yards rushing on 16 carries.
The Foresters will take on Ripon College in their home opener next
Saturday (September 12) at 1:00 p.m. A live video webcast of the
game will be available at www.midwestconference.tv.
