Jacobs did what it does best during Friday’s Fox Valley Conference game against Dundee-Crown in Algonquin.

It ran the football. A lot.

The Golden Eagles (5-2, 5-2 FVC) carried the ball 46 times for 412 yards — an average of 8.9 yards per rush — en route to a commanding 53-18 victory.

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Dundee-Crown’s Kadin Malone runs the ball in varsity football at Jacobs High School in Algonquin on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

“We weren’t at our best last week (against Crystal Lake Central), so we wanted to come into this game putting our best foot forward,” Jacobs coach Brian Zimmermann said.

“To their credit, the kids took this week of practice very seriously and were much more prepared. This is a huge win for us.”

That’s because the Eagles have five wins and can clinch a postseason berth with a win in either of their two remaining regular season games.

“This is our fifth year in a row being playoff eligible,” Zimmerman said. “Which is a school record, so it’s definitely a big deal and a real nice accomplishment by these kids.”

Jacobs senior running back Caden DuMelle, the program’s all-time rushing yardage leader, led the charge against the Chargers (3-4, 3-4 FVC).

He ran 11 times for 154 yards and a pair of touchdowns, including the first points of the game, when he broke through the line into the end zone with 1:04 left in the first quarter.

He also tallied a 24-yard TD on the ground midway through the second quarter.

“We’ll savor the moment for sure,” DuMelle said of reaching five wins. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to do. Things will only get tougher from here.”

His teammate, Michael Cannady, carried the ball 13 times for 87 yards. Three of those attempts were rushing touchdowns, including one from 1 yard, and a pair both from 9 yards.

Equally noteworthy was the fact five other Jacobs players combined for 20 carries for an additional 136 yards.

“Having other guys after myself and Michael [Cannady] ready to contribute gives us a lot of depth,” DuMelle said. “It gives our coaching staff the opportunity to do a bunch of different things, spread carries out, rest guys. ... It’s a strength for sure.”

After DuMelle’s first quarter TD, Dundee-Crown opened the second quarter with a 4-yard TD run by quarterback Ikey Grzynkowicz, which briefly cut the Jacobs lead to 8-6.

It was as close as the Chargers would get the rest of the night.

That’s because 17 seconds later, on the ensuing kickoff, Justin Gonzalez fielded a ball at his own 1-yard line.

He hesitated scooping the kick up, but made up for it by racing 99 yards up the right side of the field to the end zone.

“Justin knows I’m not happy he waited so long to pick that ball up,” Zimmerman said. “But he also knows I’m thrilled with what he did once he got the ball to make up for it. An electric return.”

Jacobs took a 39-6 lead into the locker room at halftime, and converted all four two-point conversion opportunities it attempted in the half. That included a pass by kicker Javier Ramirez after a botched extra point snap late in the second quarter.

The second half saw more than 20 penalties, including eight combined personal fouls, as the game got chippy.

The Chargers’ passing game was more effective during the second half, as Grzynkowicz (9 for 17, 133 yards) found Ereyon Bailey for a 20-yard TD pass in the third quarter.

He then tossed a 22-yard TD pass to Ryan Pierce on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

Defensively, the Chargers got a fumble recovery from Xavier Ingram, and a sack from Anthony Looze.

Dundee-Crown now needs to win it’s two remaining games (Prairie Ridge and Burlington Central) to get to five wins – a tall task.

“I tried telling the kids, we’re not worried about the big things or the big picture,” D-C coach Mike Steinhaus said. “Our focus is on improving and doing the little things.

“We need to focus on winning each play, play by play. Unfortunately when things don’t go our way, character can sometimes get exposed. It’s easy to play when things are going well as they were earlier in the season at times. But when they get tough, how will we respond? We’re just not there yet.”