Kankakee Valley dropped its Northwest Crossroads Conference opener Friday night, falling 38-8 to Andrean at home. The loss moved the Kougars to 0-3 overall and 0-1 in league play.
Kankakee Valley stayed within reach early, trailing just 14-8 in the first half after answering an Andrean score with a touchdown drive of its own. The offense showed flashes of rhythm, moving the ball with short gains and sustained runs to keep possessions alive. But momentum shifted after halftime, when Andrean pulled away with three unanswered touchdowns and a late field goal to put the game out of reach.
The Kougars’ defense showed fight throughout the night, coming up with stops that kept the team in the game through two quarters. As the game wore on, however, Andrean’s balance on the ground and through the air made it difficult to contain drives.
Despite the setback, the effort gave Kankakee Valley valuable experience against one of the conference’s toughest opponents. Coaches pointed to discipline and execution as areas to build on as the team continues league play.
The Kougars now turn their attention to a road matchup at Hobart, looking to regroup and earn their first win of the season.
