November 13, 2024
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McHenry County notes: Zane Pollack proves to be big addition for Burlington Central

By Joe Aguilar
Burlington Central’s Zane Pollack runs the ball in varsity football at Huntley High School in Huntley on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.

Burlington Central’s Zane Pollack runs the ball against Huntley on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Huntley. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

This is insane, Zane.

Burlington Central is used to seeing Zane Pollack make plays on baseball fields. Not on football fields, however.

The senior running back never played organized football until this season. He starts at third base for the baseball team.

With encouragement from his best friend, Rockets’ senior quarterback Jackson Alcorn, Pollack went out for the football team after focusing on fall baseball in past years. The diminutive Pollack has been a huge contributor for Central, which on Saturday night will play its first state playoff game since 2014.

The speedy Pollack, who lists himself at 5-foot-4 and 150 pounds on his X page, rushed for 116 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries in Central’s 31-7 win over host Huntley to finish the regular season. He missed the Rockets’ Week 6 home loss to Jacobs with a sprained ankle, but otherwise has been a consistent threat in the backfield thanks to his speed, shiftiness, toughness and athleticism.

Coach Brian Iossi, whose sixth-seeded Rockets (7-2) play No. 11 Grant (6-3) in a Class 6A first-round playoff game at 6 p.m. Saturday, described Pollack as “an animal” after the Huntley game.

Iossi likely will get no argument from Alcorn.

“He wanted to come out [for football] this year, and I told him, ‘Yeah, why not? It’s fun, it’s whatever,’ " Alcorn said of Pollack. “The impact he’s made in our run game this year is actually unbelievable. I think it’s shocked [Iossi] as well. We did not think he would run the ball this well, being a first-year football player.”

If anyone knew what Pollack was going to provide the Rockets, it would have been Alcorn.

“Sixth grade, we had a class together, and we bonded like brothers,” Alcorn said. “We do everything together.”

Pollack is committed to playing baseball for NCAA Division III Chatham University in Pittsburgh.

More football ahead for Alcorn: Regardless of when Burlington Central’s season ends, Alcorn likely isn’t done playing competitive football.

Burlington Central’s Zane Pollack, left, takes a handoff from Jackson Alcorn in varsity football at Huntley High School in Huntley on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024.

Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local Burlington Central’s Zane Pollack (left) takes a handoff from Jackson Alcorn during the Rockets' 31-7 win over Huntley on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, in Huntley. (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

The Rockets’ three-year varsity quarterback hopes to play in college. Alcorn (6-foot-1 ½, 210 pounds) has not thrown an interception this season, while directing an offense that averages 29.45 points per game. He threw for a school-record 469 yards and six touchdowns in a 52-21 win over Prairie Ridge in Week 7.

Alcorn said he has Division III offers from the University of Wisconsin-Platteville and Loras College. Alcorn said he’s also in contact with Dayton, Butler, Murray State and Illinois State.

Cary-Grove perfect in the Fox: Cary-Grove completed an undefeated regular season with its 55-8 home win over Dundee-Crown on Friday night. The Trojans (9-0) led the Fox Valley Conference in points scored (368, 96 more than Huntley) and fewest allowed (115, six fewer than Prairie Ridge). They scored 105 points combined in games against Crystal Lake South and D-C to conclude the regular season.

Jacobs, Burlington Central and Prairie Ridge tied for second place in the FVC at 7-2. Huntley (5-4) finished alone in fifth. Crystal Lake Central (3-6) ended up alone in sixth place thanks to its season-ending, 26-21 win over host Hampshire. Dundee-Crown, Crystal Lake South and McHenry finished 2-7 to tie for seventh, and Hampshire (1-8) was last.

Cary-Grove's Ostin Hansen celebrates his return of a blocked punt for a touchdown during a Fox Valley Conference football game against Crystal Lake Central on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Cary-Grove High School in Cary.

Cary-Grove's Ostin Hansen celebrates his return of a blocked punt for a touchdown during a Fox Valley Conference football game against Crystal Lake Central on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, at Cary-Grove High School in Cary. (Gregory Shaver/Gregory Shaver )

Kings of the Kish: Richmond-Burton won the Kishwaukee River Conference championship outright thanks to its 63-0 win over Plano on Friday night. The Rockets (7-2) finished 6-1 in the KRC.

Woodstock North (7-2), Johnsburg (6-3) and Sandwich (5-4) tied for second place in the conference at 5-2. Marengo (5-4) finished fifth with a 4-3 record.

Richmond-Burton led the KRC in points scored (321, 17 more than Woodstock North) and fewest points allowed (106, 38 fewer than Johnsburg).

Week 9 scoreboard

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove 55, Dundee-Crown 8

Burlington Central 31, Huntley 7

Jacobs 41, Crystal Lake South 7

Crystal Lake Central 26, Hampshire 21

Prairie Ridge 41, McHenry 6

Kishwaukee River Conference

Richmond-Burton 63, Plano 0

Johnsburg 53, Harvard 20

Woodstock North 8, Woodstock 7

Marengo 28, Sandwich 14

Chicagoland Christian Conference

Wheaton Academy 48, Marian Central 0

Illinois 8-man Football Association

Alden-Hebron 40, Ashton-Franklin Center 0