LAKE ZURICH, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) — Belvidere North’s football team was trying to break new ground Saturday afternoon. The Blue Thunder were trying to become the first team in school history to advance to the state semifinals of the IHSA playoffs. They came so close to doing that but came up short to the Lake Zurich Bears 14-10.
The Blue Thunder led much of the game. They went up 7-0 when Nico Bertolino broke free down the sideline for a touchdown. Kicker Alan Perez added a field goal in the second quarter to make it a 10-0 lead for North.
But the Bears put together a strong drive in the two-minute drill before half time. It ended with running back Chris Perrone scoring on a short touchdown run making the score 10-7.
Neither team scored in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Perrone broke into the clear on another run. Just as he reached the goal line he was stripped of the ball from behind by North sophomore linebacker Noah Rooney. The officials ruled the ball had crossed the goal line before it was loose. Our camera replay appears to indicate that that was the correct call.
With that touchdown Lake Zurich led 14-10, and that’s how the game ended. Belvidere North finishes its season with a record of 9-3. The nine wins are a school record.
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