Football notes: Lakes gets going right on schedule against Grayslake Central

At 6-0, the Lakes football team has few complaints this season.

But there has been this one thing ...

"We haven't always started games very well," Lakes coach Jordan Eder said. "Second, third, fourth quarters have been good all season. The first quarter hasn't always been the way we want to play Lakes football."

That changed on Thursday in a 41-21 win over Grayslake Central in Northern Lake County Conference action.

Lakes was up 28-0 at the end of the first quarter, then 35-0, then 41-7 by halftime.

"I think we have a good team, a state championship-caliber team and I think we're having a very good season," Lakes coach Jordan Eder said. "But this was the first time all season (against Grayslake Central) that we haven't started slow. This time, we played like we should with the athletes we have.

"We have a motivated group, but for whatever reason, we haven't always been clicking very well in the first quarter. But this week we started fast, we started the way we should and that was our message all week to the kids. Let's play Lakes football right from the start."

Passing on the run: Ironically, Lakes played Lakes football against Grayslake Central, without playing Lakes football.

For most of this season, Lakes has won games by running the ball down the throats of its opponents.

Senior running back Ethan Greenfield has been racking up 100-plus-yard games and touchdowns left and right.

However, against Grayslake Central, Lakes got off to a good start and played well throughout by passing the ball instead of running it.

Quarterback Jake Johnson had more than 200 passing yards and 3 touchdown passes while receiver D'Lo Hardy had 2 touchdown catches and more than 100 receiving yards.

"I think we've come to understand that people are watching us now and we want to show some balance," Lakes coach Jordan Eder said. "We've been running so well but we have to show teams that if you're going to load up the box on us to take away the run that we can be effective passing, too. So we had a goal this week to pass the ball."

Johnson was more than happy to oblige.

Eder says Johnson is playing with a chip on his shoulder this season.

"Jake didn't get to start last year and I know he really wanted to," Eder said. "And now it's his senior year. I think he really has thought a lot about how this is his last chance. This is his last chance to be a starter and show what he can do and leave his legacy. He is definitely making the most of his opportunities and he's making this his best year."

It helps that Johnson has a player like Hardy to throw to. Hardy has been dangerous out of the backfield as a runner, but he has the versatility to also help the team as a receiver.

"D'Lo is a playmaker and a game-changer," Eder said. "It's like whenever he gets the ball, you just kind of hold your breath because you just can't wait to see what he's going to do next. We just want to get him the ball as much as possible."

Game of the week: There's a doozy of a game coming up in the Northern Lake County Conference next week.

Between sister schools.

Both Antioch and Lakes, both in the same school district, will enter their grudge match, and essentially their battle for the league crown, at 6-0. The Eagles, who are hoping that a win against Antioch will propel them to the first 9-0 regular season in school history, will be hosting the game. Antioch, meanwhile, is hoping a win against Lakes will set the stage for its second straight undefeated regular season.

"It's going to be such an incredible atmosphere," Lakes coach Jordan Eder said. "It's the kind of game that defines why we coach and why the kids play. It's just going to be so much fun."

Close ties: Ironically, Lakes coach Jordan Eder was on the coaching staff at Antioch just last season.

He was at Antioch for two years before he took over as the head coach at Lakes last spring for Luke Mertens, the only head coach in the history of the Lakes program. Mertens left Lakes to take over at Lake Zurich, which is currently the No. 1 team in the state in Class 7A.

"I'd say it won't be weird, a better word would be fun," Eder said about the idea of coaching against his former co-workers next week. "I am good friends with all the coaches at Antioch, and what I really realized in my time at Antioch is just how well the team is coached there. There's such a keen eye for detail and just great coaching and an eye on the ultimate prize. That's what we try to do at Lakes. And that all works its way down to the kids."

Sam is back: There was a bright spot for Grayslake Central in its 41-21 loss to Lakes on Thursday.

Quarterback Sam Lennartz returned for the Rams.

Lennartz was injured in Grayslake Central's season opener, spraining the MCL in his left knee.

He had been rehabbing religiously since then and finally got his first start on Thursday.

"He was a little rusty in the first half, but he came out in the second half and looked really good," Grayslake Central coach Jason Schaal said of Lennartz. "Sam has worked so hard to get back. He wanted so badly to get back and play again. He's our No. 1 quarterback and he's a strong passer, which we know will add to our offense. For his first game back, he did pretty well."

Lennartz completed 19-of-34 passes for 195 yards and 2 touchdowns.

Still a QB: Just because Sam Lennartz is back at quarterback for Grayslake Central doesn't mean that Nick Paul has had to turn in his quarterback card.

Paul, who stepped in for Lennartz beautifully and had his best game as a receiver-turned-quarterback in a win over Grant in Week 3, will be moving back to wide receiver, his original position.

But from time to time, Paul will step back under center, as he did last week against Lakes when he turned a reverse play into a touchdown pass.

"Nick did a great job for us at quarterback and we are going to rotate him in at quarterback from time to time because we like the (unique) look he can give us there," Grayslake Central coach Jason Schaal said. "But we also know what a great passer Sam can be, and he's our No. 1, so we're going to get him as many reps as possible. I think we've got a pretty good situation (with two effective quarterbacks)."