The standing-room audience at Ray Porten Field at Wauconda High School was treated to a back-and-forth Class 5A first-round bout between the host Northern Lake County Conference champion and undefeated No. 3 seed Bulldogs and a battle-tested No. 14 St. Patrick on Saturday afternoon.

With a 21-point second period that gave them control of the contest, the visiting Shamrocks held off the host school’s comeback attempt to prevail 49-28.

St. Pat’s (6-4) will play No. 6 seed Cary-Grove (8-2), a 42-14 home winner over Sycamore (5-5) on Saturday, in the second round at Triton College in River Grove.

“Wauconda was a tough team. We knew they had no quit in them whatsoever, 9-0. (Fortunately), our boys showed up and played well,” said first-year St. Patrick coach Tom Zbikowski, the former Buf

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