Top 10 games of 2019: No. 3: East St. Louis escapes Neuqua Valley

As we close out the 2019 season at Friday Night Drive, we're counting down the top 10 games of the year.

Games were nominated by our staff and voted on by our editors. Without further ado, No. 3 on our list of the top 10 games of 2019: East St. Louis narrowly escapes Neuqua Valley in Week 3.

By seasons' end, we were calling East St. Louis possibly the best team in the state regardless of class and wondering if any team could have beaten the Class 6A state champion Flyers.

Well, Neuqua Valley nearly pulled it off in Week 3, with East St. Louis needing to thwart a two-point conversion in the final minutes to hold off the Wildcats and escape with a 50-48 victory.

The two teams combined for 14 touchdowns and nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. Neuqua Valley quarterback Mark Gronowski had a hand in all seven of his team's touchdowns, throwing for five and rushing for two more. His effort earned him the Week 3 Friday Night Drive Team of the Week MVP.

"It was awesome," Gronowski told Friday Night Drive's Josh Welge after winning the Week 3 award. "Our offense just played great, we were in a great rhythm the entire time, it was unbelievable to keep scoring like that. Our offense just could not be stopped in that game."

On the other side, East St. Louis QB Tyler Macon, who was recently named the 2019 Friday Night Drive Offensive Players of the Year, threw for three TDs and ran for another. Two of those passing scores went to Dominic Lovett, who hauled in more than 200 yards worth of receptions and also ran for an 89-yard TD.

No. 10: Lincoln-Way East wins 8A title

No. 9: St. Charles East stuns Batavia

No. 8: Prairie Ridge fends off Cary-Grove

No. 7: St. Francis ends IC Catholic's streak

No. 6: Batavia comes back against St. Charles North

No. 5: Minooka wins SPC West matchup of unbeatens at Oswego

No. 4: Prospect edges DeKalb in high-scoring playoff thriller