The Kaneland Knights from Maple Park, Illinois gave the Althoff Crusaders all they wanted for three and a half quarters Saturday.

But, thanks to sophomore running back Stephen Brown and the always-tough Crusaders defense, Althoff managed to close out its 2024 season unblemished.

Brown scored a clutch fourth-quarter touchdown and the defense made a late four-point lead hold up for a 14-10 gut-check win on Senior Day at Althoff High School.

Althoff senior defensive lineman Jason Dowell was grateful and relieved to see his team end the season at 9-0 on a day with offensive starters Kylin Jordan and Dierre Hill, Jr. out due to injuries.

"It's a blessing you know, making it to my senior year being healthy, being out here with my friends and being able to get a win is nothing but a blessing from God," Dowell said.

Kaneland got its first scoring chance in the first quarter on a fumble by Brown that the Knights recovered at the Crusaders' 32-yard line.

Five plays later, Sam Buno put the Knights on top, 3-0, with a 32-yard field goal.

Kaneland (5-4) extended the lead to 10-0 on a 32-yard Chase Kruckenberg touchdown pass to Carter Grabowski with 4:09 left in the first half.

Just before the half, Brown atoned for his first-quarter fumble by ripping off a 30-yard touchdown run, cutting the lead to 10-7.

The teams exchanged punts in the second half as the Kaneland and Althoff defense settled in.

Then with 8 minutes, 46 seconds left, Brown, filling in for Hill, showed off his big-play skills again. He broke off a 58-yard off-tackle run for a touchdown that put the Crusaders ahead to stay.

"That was huge. That was huge," Brown said. "I can't do it without my O-line and my teammates. It was a long week of hard practice and I had to focus in and do what I had to do to get the win."

Brown credited Hill with helping him get ready for the week nine start.

"Sometimes you gotta make a move and go and I get a lot of that from Dierre," Brown said. "Dierre's a great teacher and he's taught me a lot. It's great to learn from that guy and make my own skill-set out of what he's been teaching me."

Kaneland had a final chance to spring the upset on Althoff with 1:16 left, but adrive stalled at the 43-yard line as the Crusaders' defense got the final stop of the day.

"Every practice we get yelled at by (Coach Austin) Frazier -- Discipline, dominance, excellence, effort," Dowell said. "That's what we talked about and we try to come out here and apply it to every single thing we do."

Kaneland coach Mike Thorgeson felt his team played well but gave up a few too many big plays in key moments that cost them the game.

"I think the difference today is we let a few too many big plays and they capitalized and their defense is really good against what we were trying to do," he said. "Even though they were down their best player, I'm really proud of the effort of our kids."

Frazier said grinding past the Knights was a perfect preparation for the top-ranked Crusaders will face when the Class 1A playoffs begin next weekend.

"We thought it would be a great look for us and a great warm-up (for the playoffs) that put us through some adversity and had some things not go our way. But we were able to secure the win," Frazier said. "It's a good program win and the kind of win that gets you ready to go play in the playoffs and we're happy to be there."