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46 | September 14, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger SPORTS mokenamessenger.com Central defense shines again against Thornwood Jason Maholy Freelance Reporter If fantasy football players could choose Lincoln-Way Central as their defense/ special teams, they would at this point expect to get big contributions on a weekly basis from one of the most inconsistent positions in the pretend game. The Knights’ defense gave a third consecutive strong performance to begin the season as Central (3-0) trounced Thornwood, 48-6, Friday, Sept. 8, in South Holland. Defensive back Peyton Nigro returned an interception for a touchdown, and the defense sacked Thunderbird quarterbacks three times while limiting the hosts to 70 yards from scrimmage – and only four yards rushing. Thornwood did not record a first down until four minutes into the second quarter, by which time the Knights led 21-0 via three touchdowns by senior running back Matt Pollack. A 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Thornwood’s Daveonte Gilliam was all that prevented Central from a second shutout in three games. The Knights are unbeaten through three weeks for the first time since 2008, when they started 4-0. “I think we’re playing really good defense, and that’s what our program is built upon,” Central head coach Jeremy Cordell said. “We did a real nice job against the run, just playing physical and being dialed in.” The Knights have allowed 21 points and 420 yards from scrimmage through three contests, while recovering two fumbles and intercepting four passes. Cordell credited Central’s five senior linebackers with setting the tone for the defense. Nick DeGregorio, Matt Granberry and Liam Markham patrol the middle of the field, while Mark O’Reilly and Brett Widule man the wings. “They’re focused, and that begins at practice,” he said. “They play the way that they practice, and you’re going to do that: If you practice haphazardly your going to play haphazardly – and they don’t, they bring it every day. They challenge each other and they challenge the defense, and they do a great job.” Nigro’s pick-six, a 54-yard sprint down the right sideline, put the Knights up 35-0 with 5:11 remaining the first half. The Knights scored on punt returns in each of their first two games this season, but Nigro’s second career interception return for a touchdown marked the first time the defense has found the end zone. “It’s the greatest feeling in the world, scoring on defense,” said Nigro, who scored last season during a three-pick performance against Andrew. “Our coaches set us up in the right spot. We saw the play multiple times in practice this week, so as soon as we saw the formation we knew it was coming. I read the quarterback’s eyes and hit it right away.” The Knights’ offense has yet to click on all cylinders, but is still averaging better Please see FOOTBALL, 44 ABOVE: Lincoln-Way Central linebacker Jackson Hosman (left) goes for a strip, while Jack Roberts also engages with a Thornwood ballcarrier Friday, Sept. 8, during a game in South Holland. Photos by Jason Maholy/22nd Century Media LEFT: Conner McWilliams looks to evade a tackler. HYUNDAI 4DAY HYUNDAI Sales Event Employee OVER 500 NEW HYUNDAIS AVAILABLE! BETWEEN HARLEM & LAGRANGE ON 159TH ST • 888-235-1834 • FamilyHyundai.com 25 % OFF MSRP NEW HYUNDAIS * on thru 4DAYS ONLY! THURS. SEPT 14TH MON. SEPT 18 TH *On select new vehicles. Ex: 2017 Sonata SE, #31421. MSRP: $23,075, selling price: $17,307. See dealer for details. Offer expires 9/18/17.
mokenamessenger.com sports the Mokena Messenger | September 14, 2017 | 47 fastbreak Girls volleyball Battle of SWSC heavyweights goes Griffins’ way Julie McMann/22nd Century Media 1st-and-3 Central, East football putting up impressive numbers 1. The Griffins’ AP ranking in Week 3 The East football team is ranked No 1 in the state by the Associated Press, in part due to handling Maine South last week. 2. Peyton Nigro The Knights’ defensive back scored his second career pick-six this week against Thornwood. The Knights also have two punts returned for TDs so far this year. 3. 3-0 Both teams’ records. If the Griffins and Knights can each avoid a potential trap game next week, then the two are headed on a collision course to meet undefeated in Week 5 at Lincoln-Way Central. Sandburg falls in close straight sets to conference opponent RANDY WHALEN Freelance Reporter Sure, it was only the opening set, but it was certainly a pivotal moment in last week’s huge girls volleyball match between Lincoln-Way East and host Sandburg. The Eagles had just tied the score at 23-23, when senior outside hitter Abbie Stefanon saw her hit roll off the top of the tape and fall over for a huge kill. But Molly Hackett had other plans. Hackett hammered a back-row kill down the right side to put East a point from victory. Fellow senior outside hitter Hanna Lesiak then pushed the ball to a vacated area to end the opener. The Griffins went on to a 25-23, 25-20 victory over Sandburg on Sept. 5 in an early-season SouthWest Suburban Conference Blue Division matchup in Orland Park. The match was originally scheduled for Oct. 10, but it was moved up to this early in the season because Sandburg had parent-teacher conferences slated for that night. No one could remember the last time East (5-3, 1-0) defeated the Eagles (7-4, 0-1) in an SWSC match. The last time Sandburg didn’t win the Blue Division was 2008, when Lockport Township captured the title. The Griffins, however, were in the SWSC Red Division at that time. The Eagles have won the last eight and 10 of the past 11 Blue division titles. East, which did defeat the Eagles 15-13, 10-15, 15-9 in the sectional final in 2002, has one conference title since the SWSC formed in 2005. That was in the Red Division in 2006. While there are still many obstacles to go for the the Griffins, they hope this victory helps springboard them to their first conference title since then. “We finally beat Sandburg,” Hackett (match-high 11 kills, 12 digs, 2 aces) said. “We finally got over that hump. It’s always one of our biggest humps of the year, so this year it’s nice to finally beat them and have that lead [in the conference].” “We called a time out,” Hackett said of when the score got tied at 23-23. “I told everyone that I wanted the set from the [back row] on the right side. [Senior setter] Madi [Corey] made a great set. I was working on that line shot, and when there was no block, I just went up and swung. It was awesome.” When Lesiak (9 kills) polished off the opener, following a serve from Hackett, there was a sense that the Griffins had made a leap. “We haven’t won a conference title in 11 years,” East coach Kris Fiore said. “We Griffins Hanna Lesiak (left) and Haley Hart (right) block Sandburg’s Lauren Mizera’s hit during the Sept. 5 game against Sandburg. Geoff Stellfox/22nd Century Media brought that up and how important a good start to the conference was. We had to be ready to play, and this is one hurdle that we’re over. “We had senior leadership, and something we preach is the 3-second rule,” Fiore said. “You have 3 seconds to be happy or sad after a point, and then you have to move on. That’s the rule.” Sandburg only had one lead the entire match. That was on the initial point of the night, which came on a block by junior middle hitter Lauren Mizera, The Griffins scored the next three points and never trailed again. There were first-set ties at 7-7 and 9-9 before East embarked on a 4-0 run, during which senior middle hitter Haley Hart (3 kills) had a kill and a block. Ahead 13-12, senior outside hitter Kaelyn Daniel deposited a pair of kills, and senior libero Emily Ripp (15 digs) ripped an ace, as East extended to an 18-12 lead. With the help of a kill by senior right side hitter Teresa Egan (4 kills), the Eagles clawed back to 20-19. but they still trailed 23-20 before a co-block by Mizera and senior setter Maureen Imrie (6 assists), a long hit and the kill off the tape by Stefanon (team-high 7 kills) tied it at 23-23. “We’re working on personal responsibility,” Sandburg coach David Vales said. “We had some people who had trouble with personal responsibility at the beginning of the first set. But we never gave up, and we’re confident on our home floor. “We thought for sure that we’d be able to roll after a while. They gave us some free balls, and we didn’t put those down. That’s what you have to do versus teams of this caliber, and we didn’t do that.” Junior setter Rachel De- Fries (6 assists) and sophomore libero Rachel Krasowski (12 digs) also contributed for Sandburg, which won last season’s matchup 25-17, 23- 25, 25-22 over East on Oct. 6 in Orland Park. The Griffins jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second set, and it was never tied. Leading 8-5 Hackett had a pair of kills, freshman setter Kaleigh Ritter served an ace, and Hart capped off a 6-0 spurt with a tip kill as the lead grew to 14- 5. It was 17-6 after a Hackett ace. But true to their nevergive-up attitude, the Eagles went on an 11-4 stretch. With her team ahead 24- 19, Hackett hoped to serve it out with another ace. But her attempt went just long. No matter, as she stepped up on the next rotation and put away a final kill to end the match. “I though it was in and on the line,” Hackett said of her serve. “But then Madi had another great set [on the match-ending kill].” Both teams will win many more matches, and the rest of the SWSC Blue battles will be from mid October on. But this was a big win for the Griffins. “It’s been a long time,” Vales said of the Eagles’ last loss to East. “I still felt pretty confident after the first set. I felt like we’d get back in rotation, but we shot ourselves in the foot and never really got in rhythm.” Listen Up TUNE IN Index “I think we’re playing really good defense, and that’s what our program is built upon.” Jeremy Cordell – Lincoln-Way Central football coach, on the Knights’ strong start to the season. Girls golf 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19 • Lincoln-Way Central hosts Lincoln-Way West and Andrew on Senior Night. 41 – Athlete of the Month 41 – Athlete of the Week FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor T.J. Kremer III, tj@mo kenamessenger.com.
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