South Elgin gets past Lake Park
Friday night's 10-7 win by visiting South Elgin over Lake Park was not about ball control and clock usage. It was about the big play.
A big play decided the outcome as the Storm improved to 2-1 on the season with this nonconference victory over a former Upstate Eight Conference rival.
The Lancers (1-2) had just finished a 12-play drive that lasted almost 6 minutes, resulting in a missed 35-yard field goal. The Storm took over on their own 20.
South Elgin gained 11 yards on the first two plays before quarterback Jacob AmRein found senior receiver Jaurice Thomas in the open field past the last Lancer defender for a 69-yard TD pass with 3:10 left in the game. It was the only pass AmRein threw to Thomas all night as the Storm spread the work among their receivers.
"It's great (having those options). Our coach said they (the receivers) needed to step up and they did. Our offensive line did the best of all - DI all of them across the board and our defense did great," AmRein said.
Coach Patrik Pistorio praised Thomas for the work he has put in in preparation for his senior season.
"Jaurice has come a long way. This summer he earned the trust of the coaches and quarterbacks and last year he served well in a role as backup," Pistorio said.
South Elgin got its first points early in the final quarter. AmRein found Derek Kumerow around midfield. His catch and a Lancer roughing the passer penalty put the Storm at the Lake Park 7 for a total gain of 68 yards.
The Lake Park defense kept South Elgin out of the end zone and the Storm's Nicolas Farfan kicked a 19-yard field goal with 10:14 remaining in the contest.
"I've been trying to convince our team that we can score on anybody. But that (Lake Park) defensive line is the best that I have seen in a long time," Pistorio said.
The game was scoreless until 2:18 into the third quarter when Lake Park got its biggest big play of the night. Alex Carusiello returned the second half opening kickoff 75 yards. Four plays later, Melvin Smiley, who led all rushers with 85 yards, ran it in from the 8.
"We knew South Elgin was a big-play team. That was our worry coming into the game," said Lake Park coach Chris Roll. "But with us, it was a lack of discipline and a lack of execution. Look at our mistakes. They cost us."