Lake Zurich senior Nolan Siko knows perseverance.

A quarterback for most of his career, Siko hoped to get the Bears’ starting job at some point. But that didn’t happen, and he landed at cornerback this season.

“I love playing defense,” he said. “It’s actually really fun. At quarterback, you can’t really hit people that much. But when you’re playing defense, you get to do that all the time.

“We’re a defensive-oriented school, so whatever gets the job done.”

Siko’s willingness to move to a position he had never played says a lot about him, and Lake Zurich’s coaching staff knew he had the athletic ability to make the change a win-win for him and the team.

The latter was clear in the waning moments of the top-seeded Bears’ 14-10 win at home against fourth-seeded Belvidere North in the Class 6A state quarterfinals on Saturday.

Siko made the biggest tackle of his life — one that fans will remember for a long time — when he stopped Nico Bertolino’s outside run on fourth-and-7 deep in Lake Zurich territory.

The Bears (11-1), who are ranked No. 4 in 6A in the final poll by The Associated Press, then ran out the clock to punch their ticket to the state semifinals for the second straight season. They will play No. 5 Cary-Grove (10-2) at home.

“I couldn’t miss that tackle because it was fourth down, and if they score, they would have pretty much won the game,” Siko said. “I knew they would come back to that eventually. It was pretty much the same formation, so we knew it was coming.”

That formation and Bertolino bouncing outside resulted in a 61-yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the No. 9 Blue Thunder (9-3). Siko didn’t handle that one nearly as soundly.

“That was the play they scored on earlier, so I saw my opportunity again, and I filled the gap this time and made the tackle,” he said. “Instead of dip and rip on the outside, I went inside, so he got the edge.”

Siko gave the Bears the edge in the end. His success this season lends credence to the premise that selfless players are the foundation of winning programs.

“Probably when he started his high school career, he thought he was going to be the quarterback for LZ, so to now play corner and to make a big play like that is just awesome,” Lake Zurich coach Ron Planz said. “Nolan has done a heck of a job and been a great senior leader for us.”

Siko and Lucas Lappin split duties on the lower levels during their freshman and sophomore seasons. Last year, Lappin moved to receiver, and Siko backed up starting quarterback Ashton Gondeck, who began his career at Lake Zurich, transferred to Carmel and then returned. Then Lappin got the starting job this season.

Senior linebacker Lincoln Adams, Lake Zurich’s chief run stopper, appreciates what Siko has done on defense.

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“He’s a baller, and he’ll do whatever he needs to do to help the team, whether it’s on offense at quarterback or defense this year,” Adams said. “He’s taken that position that he’s been given and played it to his fullest potential and given all he’s got.”

Siko didn’t hesitate to change positions but said getting to this point wasn’t always easy.

“It’s been definitely challenging at times, and I’ve had a lot of adversity, like last year when Ashton transferred back,” Siko said. “I just had to figure out a role. So I helped the defense out on the scout team, got beat up all of last year, but it was for a good cause. This year, I got put at corner, and I’m just doing my job.”

Siko certainly did his job against Belvidere North.

“I always knew I had the support of everybody in this program,” he said. “Being on the field helping the team get the job done, that’s all I can ask for.

“It’s really special that we’re all still here playing football. I’m just grateful that I can play one more week with all of these guys.”

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.