CRYSTAL LAKE – Crystal Lake South had plenty of pent-up frustrations Friday night at Ken Bruhn Field – unfortunately for rival Crystal Lake Central.

Last week’s blowout opening-week loss to Marian Central easily could have derailed South’s season, or at the very least killed its focus. However, the Gators reminded the Fox Valley Conference they consider themselves among the league’s best in their grind-it-out 16-6 win. Central has not beaten South since 1999.

“We worked hard in practice and talked about responding and they did,” South coach Chuck Ahsmann said. “I was really proud of them.”