The hype surrounding August 30 at the campus of Lake Forest was something special as the student body anxiously awaited the start of a new football season.  The bleachers at Varsity field, which had sat empty since October of 2018, would soon be filled with students and a proud community cheering on their beloved Scouts.  

The Scouts had a rematch against the Antioch Sequoits, one of the best programs in Illinois in recent years, but this time it was going to be the CN100 Game of the Week to open up high school football across the state of Illinois.  

The stands at Varsity Field were packed with parents and students all anticipating the start of the season, and what a game it was. The Scouts came out and upset the Sequoits 10-7 with a stellar defensive performance, and started 2019 on a good note, 1-0.

Next, the Scouts went on to the road to face the Wheaton North Falcons in another rematch.  After the strong performance against Antioch there were big expectations for this game. However, those expectations were quickly shot down by the Falcons as the Scouts suffered their first loss of 2019, with a final score of 23-7. 1-1.

The following week the Scouts began play in the difficult North Suburban Conference with a road game against Mundelein.

The Scouts were able to bounce back from the week before and earn a hard fought 13-0 win as the defense got its first shutout of the year and win number two, 2-1.

Lake Forest finally returned home after a two week road trip to host Lake Zurich on homecoming.  The Scouts had beaten the Bears the year before, but Lake Zurich was able to spoil the homecoming festivities with a dominant 39-7 win. This game was a wake up call for the Scouts, showing the tough tests that lie in the NSC. 2-2.

Competition didn’t get any easier as Lake Forest traveled out to play the undefeated Warren Blue Devils. Warren played a complete game, beating the Scouts 37-0, and proved why they are one of the best teams in Illinois. 2-3.

The Scouts returned home to face a winless Waukegan team. A change at the quarterback position helped a Scout offense that had been struggling, and established confidence moving forward.  Lake Forest dominated winning 48-0 and earned win number three. 3-3.

Next up was a road matchup against Zion-Benton. This was a team that shocked the Scouts at home in 2018 and made a statement to the rest of the conference by making the playoffs. However, this year the Scouts played well despite sloppy conditions.Richie Hoskins really showed his quarterback ability in this game as the Scouts recorded their second straight shutout winning 26-0 on the road. 4-3.

Then came Libertyville week, a rivalry dating back to the 60s.  This game had a lot on the line for both teams, with Libertyville fighting for their playoff lives and the Scouts trying to secure their fifth win of the season. 

The 3-4 Wildcats avenged their loss from last season as they beat the Scouts 23-10 at Varsity Field, handing the Scouts their fourth loss of the season.  4-4.

Week 9, Stevenson week. The Lake Forest vs. Stevenson rivalry was born on the hardwood when Stevenson’s Jalen Brunson and Lake Forest’s Evan Boudreaux battled it out in intense and sold out basketball games.  

This has carried over to football as the intensity of the matchup seems to grow each year.  In 2018, the Scouts upset Stevenon on the road to get their fifth win and qualify for the playoffs for the 9th straight year.

This year’s Scouts vs. Patriots game had meaning to it like never before.  Both teams were 4-4 and looking for that 5th win and yet another playoff appearance.  Stevenson was looking for their 31st straight appearance (longest in the North Suburban Conference), and the Scouts were looking for their 10th (second longest in the NSC).  

The Scouts had one foot in the grave with just seven minutes remaining trailing the Patriots 27-7, but then something switched. A sense of urgency kicked in on the Scouts sideline, finally realizing that a loss would end their season.  

The defense turned up the heat and got the ball back to the offense quickly, and the offense put together quick and efficient drives, scoring fast.  Three scores later, two coming from Mac Uihlein and the other from Kai Kroeger, the Scouts gained the lead as Varsity Field exploded into mayhem.. The Scouts playoff streak was extended to 10 straight seasons, and they ended Stevenson’s 30 year streak.  The Scouts don’t give up. 5-4.

Then came the playoffs, which Lake Forest opened up as the 14 seeds traveling to take on the 3 seed, Belvidere North.  This was the longest road trip for the Scouts all season long, but that wasn’t going to affect Lake Forest as they are used to playing spoiler in round 1.   

This game looked a lot like the Stevenson game, with Belvidere getting out to a 14-0 lead at the half..  Despite the deficit you would have thought this team was up 14-0, not losing. The confidence level, especially after last week’s comeback, was extremely high and the Scouts came out of the locker room with swagger and physicality.

Lake Forest scored 21 unanswered points to secure a first round playoff win and give Coach Chuck Spagnoli his 100th win as a Scout. 6-4.

Bring on Kaneland, the Knights come to Varsity Field as the 6 seed, waiting for them is Lake Forest.  From start to finish the Scouts controlled the game, getting anything they wanted. Richie Hoskins and the rest of the team played like world beaters as Kaneland didn’t have a answer for a full fledged Scouts attack.

A 35-10 win gave the Scouts a quarter finals berth and a matchup against old rival Deerfield. 7-4.

Unfortunately this is where the road would end for the 2019 Lake Forest Scouts.  In a hard fought, back and forth battle, the Warriors of Deerfield prevailed winning by the narrowest of margins, 21-20.  7-5.

The atmosphere at Varsity Field was second to none.  Fans of all ages engaged in the game, making noise, and cheering on the Scouts all game long.  The fans are a big reason why high school football is such a great thing. The Lake Forest community really came together on Saturday, and even though it didn’t work out, the whole Lake Forest Football program appreciated the turn out.  

This senior class is something special with guys like Rylie Mills and Kai Kroger, but the class as a whole on this team came together to fight for each other when times were tough and it showed on the football field. 

Young guys this year stepped up in a huge way, sophomore corners Leo Schiedler and Jake Milliman started all season, Mac Uihlein continued his dominance at middle linebacker, Frank Pinn had a stand out year at defensive tackle, and quarterbacks Richie Hoskins and Jackson Pearre did whatever they could to help this team succeed.

There is so much to be said about the fight and will to win of this team.  It was truly a magical season and this will surely not be forgotten. The Scouts finish the season with 7 wins and 5 losses, beating Stevenson in back to back years for the first time, and qualifying for the playoffs for a 10th straight season, now the longest active streak in the North Suburban Conference.  

This will be a season to remember, and thank you to everyone who supported this team.

#ScoutPride

(Photos courtesy scoutsfootball.com)