The Stevenson Patriots hoped to kick off their season in the same fashion as they did last year; with a win over the Palatine Pirates, although this time, they had the home field advantage. It became evident instantly that second year coach Josh Hjorth and the Patriots would take advantage of playing in front of their fans.

The Patriots didn’t just get off to a 1-0 start on Friday, the 24th. They blitzed their way to victory, literally and figuratively dominating Palatine 35-7. The Patriots defense locked down the Pirates offense, holding them to just seven points on just 152 total yards of offense.

The heavy wind played spoiler for quarterback Cole Okmin ‘19, who went without a completion for the first few minutes of the game. However, star Patriot running back Jean-Marc Etienne ‘20 was stellar, rushing for an astonishing 159 yards and boasting two touchdowns.

While Etienne brought the offensive firepower, the Patriot defense proved themselves as a force to be reckoned with. The Patriots were spearheaded by linebacker Maema Njongmeta ‘19, who displayed not only elite defensive skills with his speed and power, but also admirable leadership.

Palatine was unable to get downfield for most of the game as their senior quarterback, Zac Garnmeister, overthrew the ball on many occasions, one of which was an interception that was taken back 52 yards for a touchdown by Michael D’Angelo ‘19.

Overall, the Patriots shined bright in their annual whiteout game, and enjoyed a successful season opener. They will look to improve to 2-0 next week on the road against Neuqua Valley, while Palatine hopes to earn their first win in front of their home crowd against Rolling Meadows.