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Luyando's debut a big one as Buffalo Grove tops Elk Grove

After growing up in Mexico until arriving on the Buffalo Grove campus as a junior, Ian Luyando obviously is bilingual with English and Spanish.

"And best of all, he speaks football," said Buffalo Grove coach Jeff Vlk. "Our quarterbacks coach Tom Podulka, who played here, has a lot of great things to say about him because he can go through re-progressions and understands them very well. He understands the game and what is in front of him."

In front of the 6-foot-2 Luyando on Saturday afternoon when the Bison opened their season with a 48-19 Mid-Suburban East win at Elk Grove were linemen Morgan Hinkle, CJ Relias, Michael Julian, Dane Cottrell, Victor Allen and Thomas Dierbach.

They helped pave the way for Luyando to throw 5 touchdown passes for 234 yards in his varsity debut along with an 11-yard TD run. He sat out last season with an ACL injury.

Luyando spread the wealth to receivers Pasquale Dellaquila (67 yards, 2 touchdowns), Cornell commit Ayden Anderson (63 yards, 1 touchdown), Nick Passannante (57 yards, 1 touchdown) and Ian Luyando's brother Andre (47 yards), who caught Ian's 19th and final pass of the game for a 10-yard TD.

"That was the first one I ever threw to my brother so that was pretty cool," Ian Luyando said. "In Mexico, you only play with people your same age so I never got to play on his team,

"We're stacked (with receivers). I knew going into the season my receivers were insane so I'm excited to play together with them, and we're just getting started."

There was also strength in the Bison running game as Cole Nixon plowed his way to 102 yards and Anderson gained 54, including an 11- yard TD which put the visitors in front 13-6 and started a run of 21 straight points for a 28-6 halftime lead.

BG's 3 interceptions (Anderson, Jacob Pond and Michael Cervantes) were the most by a Bison team in Vlk's five years in charge.

"We're really proud of our kids and proud of Ian for coming into a new country just a year ago and becoming our starting quarterback and captain of the team," Vlk said. "The kids have gravitated to him and he has done a great job just being a leader."

Another Ian on the field was quite impressive as well. Grenadiers senior Ian Ridge was elusive all afternoon, rushing for 192 yards from 20 carries, including two 23-yard touchdown runs.

"That Ian Ridge is tough to stop," Vlk said. "He's going to be a beast this season. We're happy with the win but not satisfied. Obviously there are things we have to clean up."

"Ian (Ridge) is a special kid," said Elk Grove coach Miles Osei, whose offense also received a 20-yard TD pass from Joe Gaskill to Keshawn Bates. "We knew coming in he's an all-stater, probably one of the better running backs around. He will keep doing that. He is a special kid but we need more kids to rally around him.

"Our offense really didn't do a good job in any facet. We just couldn't overcome our mistakes. It was good to get the kids back out here playing games. Hopefully, we'll look at the film, learn from it and try to improve for a good Prospect team."

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