Prospect, Barrington set to meet in first MSL championship game since 1974

It’s been a long wait between Super Bowls in the Mid-Suburban League.

On Friday, Prospect will play at Barrington at 7 p.m. for the MSL football championship. It will be the first time that there has been a title game in the sport since 1974 when Schaumburg beat Hersey, 7-6.

“This is a pretty cool situation for our players to take part in,” said Prospect coach Dan DeBoeuf, who wasn’t even born when the last championship game was played.

“The fact that we have a game with significance at the end of the season is awesome. Many teams around the state have just another game but this one has the playoff atmosphere feel.”

Barrington coach Joe Sanchez, who was 1-year-old when the last MSL Super Bowl took place, said this game is a huge reward for his team.

“With everything our players and coaches have been through this past year, it means a lot,” Sanchez said. “To get through the always challenging MSL West and be in this position is a testament to the hard work, sacrifice and commitment to the standard in our program of giving our best both on and off the field.”

The MSL, which at that time was a North-South conference, discontinued its football championship game after the 1974 season. That was because that was the same year the IHSA began its state playoff series.

Friday’s game will have that Super Bowl feel to it with a pair of undefeated teams that have dominated their respective divisions.

Prospect (5-0) comes into the game averaging close to 50 points per game. The Knights have a great one-two punch on offense in quarterback Gary Moeller and running back Luke Zardzin.

Moeller, who recently committed to be a preferred walk-on at Wisconsin, has thrown for 985 yards this season with 16 touchdowns passes and just one interception. Noah Marx, Frank Covey, Tyson Splinter, Owen Walter and Zardzin have all been targets from Moeller.

Zardzin, who has a PWO to Northern Illinois has been a terror on the ground for the Knights. He has piled up 654 yards and scored 13 touchdowns while Moeller has accounted for 187 rushing yards.

“We are playing at a high level on both offense and defense,” DeBoeuf said. “We believe in this group and can’t wait to take the field with them on Friday.”

Barrington (5-0) is no slouch on offense either. The Broncos are averaging nearly 36 points per game, which is near their average the past few seasons.

Peter Anderson has taken over the quarterback reins for the Broncos with relative ease. The senior has thrown for 1,070 yards with 11 touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 70 yards and five touchdowns. Joey Gurskis and Ben Cocoma are Anderson’s main two targets.

Bryan Smith, who has rushed for 662 yards and five touchdowns along with Jack Kapcheck, who has gained 291 yards and scored three touchdowns, pick up most of the load on the ground for Barrington.

“I am very happy with our improvement from week to week,” Sanchez said. “And the ability of this group to take on every challenge that has been put in front of them. It has not been easy, but I am proud of what they have done to be in this position.”

In 1974, there was a reported 7,000 fans in attendance for that title game. On Friday, that number will be nearly a tenth of that due to COVID restrictions.