The Forester football team began its 2013 season with a convincing 45-3 victory over Concordia University Chicago at home on Saturday. Sophomore kicker/punter Jon Gurchak accounted for nine of Lake Forest's 45 points, including three on a career-long 47-yard field goal.
Gurchak was 6-for-6 on extra points, averaged 35.2 yards on five punts and put two inside the 20-yardline, landed five of his eight kickoffs in the end zone, and made the tackle on his final kickoff of the day.
The Foresters' special teams prowess carried over to the return game, where junior Joey Kropp amassed 119 yards on four punt returns and freshman Alex Pasiewicz traveled 37 yards on the home team's only kickoff return of the game.
Lake Forest's defense limited the Cougars to just 185 total yards on the day, including just 58 on the ground. The Foresters sacked the Concordia quarterbacks three times among their eight tackles for loss, forced four turnovers, and covered a total of 74 yards on their three interception returns. Senior defensive lineman Jake Rotkvich and senior linebacker Jordan Cruz led the squad with seven tackles apiece and senior defensive lineman Michael Garetto-Balmer recorded a pair of sacks.
Often given a short field by the defense and special teams, the Lake Forest offense took advantage of the opportunities to score. Senior quarterback Mike Lewis completed 13 of 22 passes for 176 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions in his first career start. Sophomore wide receiver George Vidas caught five passes for a game-high 83 yards and was one of three Forester receivers to catch a touchdown pass. Six different running backs carried the ball for the home team. Freshman Charlie Quinn led the group with 90 yards, including 60 on one play in the second quarter. Senior Alec Howe scored a pair of touchdowns and classmate Osayi Menzies reached the end zone on his only carry of the game.
Lake Forest's first touchdown of the game and season was scored by sophomore transfer Willie McIntyre, who made a nice catch on a fade pattern from Lewis for the 23-yard score.
The home team led 7-0 at the end of the opening quarter, was on offense for nearly 11 of 15 minutes, and gained 91 yards while the Cougars lost five in the period.
The visitors scored their only points of the game on a 34-yard field goal with 11:51 remaining in the second quarter.
Lake Forest responded four plays later when Lewis connected with Vidas on a fly pattern down the right sideline. Vidas sprinted to the end zone for a 52-yard touchdown.
Quinn's 60-yard run started the final scoring drive of the first half and Lewis finished it with a 5-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Mike Peters.
Concordia's first possession of the second half ended when Forester senior linebacker Bryce Jones intercepted a pass and returned it 12 yards to the Cougar 22-yardline. Howe reached the end zone on 4th-and-goal from the two to cap off the short scoring drive.
A 17-yard interception return to the Concordia 21 by senior cornerback Ed Dobernig halted the Cougar's next possession and Howe finished off another short touchdown drive with a 1-yard run, which also came on 4th-and-goal.
The Foresters actually lost a yard on their next scoring drive. It was set up by a 31-yard punt return by Kropp and Gurchak's 47-yard field goal made the score 38-3 late in the third quarter.
The home team's third interception of the second half was turned in by sophomore linebacker Mike Letizia and he returned it 45 yards to the Cougar 4-yardline. Menzies scored his first career touchdown on the next play, finishing off the scoring with 9:01 to play in the contest.
Lake Forest will begin Midwest Conference play next Saturday at Lawrence University. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.
