Round Lake hardly stood a chance against the West Chicago Varsity football team at home on Friday, Aug. 30, when the Wildcats dominated the Panthers 42-0.

This is the team’s first shutout in “who knows how long?” according to Assistant Coach Matt Zuffante.

The team started off strong, scoring two touchdowns in the first quarter thanks to ? and ?. However, the players are coaches were not merely content with the 12 points they put on the board. While the Wildcats were coming off a strong season, complete with playoff bid, the Panthers struggled for most of the 2023-24 year, failing to put points on the board in numerous games.

“I felt like there was a lot of work left to do. We were only up twelve, nothing. We thought we were the better team. We missed some plays in the early half, and we knew we just had to put some work in to get the result we wanted,” Zuffante said.

Those thoughts were echoed by junior Carter Naranjo, one of the Wildcats’ starting quarterbacks.

“I just think we could have came out stronger,” Naranjo said.

The team regrouped, determined to come out of the half with more dominant offensive players. Shortly into the third quarter, the Wildcats made a big stop, paving the way for senior Robert Lee to run an 82-yard touchdown down the field, bringing the score up to 18. The team scored on the XP attempt, solidifying their lead over Round Lake.

“We came out second half and made the correct corrections and it showed on the field,” Coach Adam Chavez said.

The defense held the line during the second half, starting with a recovered fumble that resulted in yet another touchdown for the Wildcats. Senior Tommy Doyle brought the score up to 34-0 as the game reached its conclusion, and then Naranjo scored the final touchdown for West Chicago.

“I’m happy how we came out in the second half and really put some points on the board. I’m really happy for our defense. Since I’ve been here, this is the first shutout that we’ve had in the three years. So I’m super happy for the defensive staff and all the kids on defense that held them to no touchdowns,” Chavez said.

A string of injuries in the past few weeks has resulted in some key players sitting on the bench. However, the coaches have been working hard to incentivize the players and overcome changes in the line-up.

“I was hurting a little bit [during the game]. My leg got a little messed up, but we just came stronger [after halftime]. We saw they were tired and we hit it harder. I’m excited ready for the next week. Keep the hard work going,” junior Nery Banuelos said.

If Friday’s game is any indication of the season to come, it will be another record-breaking season for the Cats.

“We just try and attack every game and win every game. You know, we try not to look too far ahead. We just really try and just win every game,” Chavez said.