By Randy Whalen

"Porter Pride."

It's more than a catch phrase—much more.

It's a way of life for Lockport Township athletics, especially for the football team this season.

The Porters battled all season, overcoming a 1-3 start to make it all the way to a Class 8A State Semifinal game. There, with defensive starters out, including Jake Manzo, who was taken off the field on a stretcher late in the game with a neck injury, they didn't waiver. 

But in the end, in a classic defensive game that had an old-time feel to it on a grass field, Lockport fell just short, losing 10-7 to the host Panthers before a packed house on a cool evening on Saturday, November 22, in Oswego. 

“It was a great game,” Lockport coach George Czart said. "Jake got a shot to the helmet, but is expected to be OK. Our team has never lain down. We were 1-3, and we came back to be in this game. We were right there, so close to it."

With its sixth straight win, Oswego (11-2) advances to the state title game for the first time since winning a 7A State Championship in 2003. The No. 11-seeded Panthers, who are 2-0 in state title games, also winning one in Class 4A in 1992, will face Mount Carmel at 7 PM this Saturday at Hancock Stadium in Normal for the championship.

The top-seeded Caravan (13-0), which defeated No. 4-seeded Fremd 42-21 in the other 8A semifinal, are making their state-record 22nd championship game appearance and fourth straight after winning the Class 7A title the past three seasons. They will look to extend their record of 16 state championships. 

Lockport (9-4) was making its fourth-ever state semifinal appearance and had won the previous three. But this time, the Porters saw their eight-game win streak, which was tied for the third longest in single-season school history, end.

"I think on both sides of the ball, we did as much as we could," Lockport senior linebacker Andre Labuda said. "Having Jake go out was devastating and not something we wanted to see. But nobody should be sad as long as we did what we could. I think we played a heck of a game out there, but that’s just how it ended.”

Clinging to a 7-0 lead, Lockport punted on the final play of the third quarter, and the Panthers took over at their own 31. Following a 6-yard run by junior quarterback Drew Kleinhans, the play of the game happened. 

Ammar Banire took a handoff and swept right. The sophomore running back appeared to be stopped for a short gain, but then he broke out of the pack and was off to the races down the sideline. Then, 63 yards later, he was in the end zone, and the extra point kick tied the game at 7-7 with 11:10 to play.

Czart lamented not being able to have Colton Benaitis in the game at that point. The All-State senior safety, who missed the first four games of the season with a broken collarbone, injured his ankle at the start of the third quarter. He tried to come back, but was too hobbled to play.

"He got hurt on the second half kickoff," Czart said of Benaitis. "If he were out there, he would have chased (Banire) down and not let that happen. That's how important he is."

Senior defensive back AJ Garcia was also out the entire game for the Porters.

"Obviously, it was hard to go out and sit out of that game," Benaitis said. "It was my ankle, somebody landed on it, and it bent the wrong way. It hurt more to watch the running back go for that long run. We knew it was going to be a dogfight going into it, with two very tough teams going against each other."

The Porters, who had eight penalties for 45 yards in the game, including five illegal procedure ones, went three-and-out on their next two possessions. Following the second one, Oswego took over at its own 30 with 4:59 to play. 

For most of the game, Kleinhans was held in check. But on second-and-11 from the 29, he ran for 11 yards and a first down. He was neuterilized passing, but found junior running back Graham Schwab for an 11-yard gain to the Lockport 46. 

"Coming in, we knew it was going to be physical," Kleinhans said. "They were good, and that was the best defense we saw all year. It was a hard-fought game."

Banire (18 carries for 117 yards) ran the next four plays, gaining 15 yards. But on the second of those runs, Manzo was injured. After a lengthy time, he was wheeled off the field on a stretcher but lifted his arm with a big thumbs up on the way out. 

He was taken to a local hospital to be checked out. Thankfully, he was Ok, with no spinal injury, but was very sore.

"Watching one of your brothers get taken out of the game on a stretcher isn’t exactly easy to watch," Benaitis said. "Then we were all fired up, and we tried to take it home, but unfortunately, we fell short. I wish we could’ve done it for him."

After a second-and-eight, Schwab (5 carries for 14 yards, 2 receptions for 19 yards) gained three yards on each of the next two carries. Then, facing a fourth-and-two from the Lockport 25, the Panthers went for a field goal. 

Kaleb Stumpenhorst, a senior, came on and drilled a 42-yard field goal, which would have been good from 50, with exactly one minute to play, and the Panthers led, 10-7.

"That's what I was afraid of," Czart said of Stumpenhorst being in position to kick a field goal. "I knew he was a good kicker."

The Porters, who had two first downs in the second half at that point, took over at their own 20 following a touchback. That didn't matter, though, as on second-and-10, Brendan Mecher fired a pass over the middle and fellow senior Adam Kozak went up and grabbed it for a 44-yard reception. Kozak was the team's leading receiver this season.

"I just went out and played my ass off," said Kozak, who had seven receptions for 86 yards and was also inserted as a defensive back much of the game. "This team fought through adversity all year, and I couldn't ask for anything more. We just get better and better.

"We fought, and it was a great thing. I'm going to miss playing here. (Offensive Coordinator) Coach (Kristopher) Norton put a lot of confidence in me. I had fun, and I'm going to miss my brothers."

The frantic drive continued as Mecher, who completed 9-of-18 passes for 93 yards, ran for 61 yards on 14 carries, and scored the Porters' only touchdown, completed a 6-yard pass to Kozak on a fourth-and-2 play to the Oswego 22. 

"We had one minute to go, so we knew we had to get a chance," Mecher said. "And this group of guys is unmatched, really. The effort and the dedication they show day in and day out are incredible. I wouldn’t have done it with anyone else!"

Following one more incomplete pass, Zane Szynkowski came out to attempt a game-tying 39-yard field goal. The junior was thrust into the place-kicking role when senior Matt Blazewski went out with an ACL injury in the opening playoff game at Sandburg. He did a great job, making all his extra points in a 35-0 quarterfinal win over Barrington and one earlier in the game against Oswego.

But his 39-yard attempt, which was on-line, came up short by about 7 yards, and the Panthers celebrated the hard-fought victory with their fans on their home field.

Stumpenhorst, who had a low attempt on a 46-yard field goal blocked by the Lockport line with 3:51 left in the second quarter, felt for Szynkowski.

"You know the feeling," Stumpenhorst told the Chicago Sun-Times of Szynkowski's attempt. "You want him to make it. Well, you want him to miss. But specialists are a tight-knit group. I know the feeling; it is insane."

Both defenses were insane. Oswego was limited to 11 first downs, 220 total yards, 202 of those on the ground, and 63 of those on one play. Senior Teddy Manikas made the only catch by a Panther wide receiver in the game, and that went for minus 1 yard. Lockport was limited to 205 yards and nine first downs. The Porters were the ninth team that Oswego limited to 10 points or less this season.

“I think everyone on our defense was beat up in one way or another,” said Labuda, who was named Honorable Mention All-State by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association “We just kept fighting. Besides the one play, I think we played amazing.”

Five of the Porters' first downs came on their third drive of the game. That covered 82 yards in 12 plays. Mecher had back-to-back completions of 24 yards to Kozak and 11 yards to junior wide receiver Khairi Sias. The Lockport quarterback later ran for 17 yards to the Panther 21. 

A pass interference call on a fourth-and-5 play at the 16 gave the Porters a first down at the eight. After a yard loss, Mecher darted and dove to the left pylon to score a touchdown. Szynkowski added the extra point, and Lockport led 7-0 with 8:02 left in the second quarter. 

"It was a good game; that touchdown felt good, but we faced some adversity and couldn't get another score," Mecher said. "Our defense played great, and I'm very proud of all of my brothers for going out there and grinding it out."

Lockport held five opponents to 10 points or less and had a pair of shutouts for the first time since winning the Class 8A State Title in 2021.

Chris Miller finished with 15 carries for 54 yards. Unofficially, on the season, the senior running back had 215 carries for 1,168 yards. So, 5.4 yards per carry. 

“I knew it was going to be a close game, and it would come to someone making a mistake somewhere," Czart said. "We made one on that touchdown run, and we weren’t able to overcome it.

"But I'm proud of our defense, they played like that all year long. These kids were all about tenacity. It was so much fun watching them. Just the excitement they brought. It hurts. I'm going to miss the coaches and the players."

Over the 51 years of the IHSA playoffs, 1,456 teams have competed in the 5A, 6A and 8A classes when those were the state's largest divisions. Of that total, just three started their seasons with 1-3 records and were able to advance to the semifinal round. Lincoln-Way East in 2004, Edwardsville in 2017, and Lockport this year.  

None of them made the title game. But boy, the Porters were close.

“We never gave up on ourselves, and that’s what it came down to in the end,” Labuda said. “People might have counted us out, but we never did. Everyone in those meetings after we were 1-3 knew that from that point on, we were going to make a change, and we did.

“It’s all about the guys that I was with and all the memories we’ve had along the way. How much fun we had. Those are the biggest things that I’ll care about. Being with my brothers for 13 weeks."

This Porter team has certainly put itself among the all-time best in school history. Their 8 straight wins in a season is something that only three other teams have done in school history. Those were in 2002 (13 straight from Week 2 to Week 9), 2004 (9 straight from Week 1 to Week 14), and 1966 (8 straight from Week 2 to Week 9).

It also capped an outstanding fall season for Lockport athletics. The girls' volleyball team finished third in Class 4A for the second straight season. Now, the football team finished in the Final Four in Class 8A.

"Overall, it was a great season, and we proved a lot of people wrong," Benaitis said. "I am proud to say that we gave it everything we had, and I don’t think one person has any regrets on how they played. 

"But the biggest thing to me is the brotherhood that was built not just this season but throughout our time playing football. It is a bond that will never be forgotten. This is the greatest group I have ever been a part of."
 

By Randy Whalen

It was 22 years ago that Lockport Township and Oswego played in State Championship games on the same night. 

That's correct. In 2003, the Porters won the Class 8A title for the second straight season with a 48-27 win over Maine South. While Oswego defeated Libertyville 28-21 in double overtime. 

This Saturday the two schools will attempt to get back to the State Championship game. By playing each other.

That's correct, both teams pulled upsets in the Class 8A quarterfinal round last week. No. 23 Lockport dominated No. 2 seeded Barrington 35-0, while the No. 11 seeded Panthers edged No. 3 seeded Maine South 24-21 in Park Ridge.

Now the two unlikely teams will vie to see which one goes to the title game on Saturday, November 29 at 7 PM at Hancock Stadium on the Campus of Illinois State University in Normal.

"Yes, I'd say we both mirror each other," Lockport coach George Czart said of his team and the Panthers. "Oswego has a physical team, big players and big play potential. They have a good kicker/punter and their kids play hard in all aspects of the game. 

"They have just two losses and have battled through it. They want to battle, but we have physical guys on both sides of the ball and 80 kids on our roster."

Oswego (10-2) which is coached by Brian Cooney, who became head coach in 2012, finished tied for second in the Southwest Prairie West. The Panthers lost 16-6 to Yorkville and 10-3 to Minooka in the regular season. But they beat Bolingbrook, which won the conference, 42-7 in Week No. 3.

But the battle tested Porters (9-3) pulled off quite a feat by starting the season 1-3 and advancing to the semifinals. 

During the 51 years of the IHSA playoffs, 1,456 teams have competed in the 5A, 6A and 8A classes while those were the state's largest divisions. Of that total, just three started their seasons with 1-3 records and were able to advance to the semifinal round. Lincoln-Way East in 2004, Edwardsville in 2017, and Lockport this year.  

Plus, Lockport's domination over the Broncos in the quarterfinal round has other prestigious accomplishments tied to it.

Barrington is the highest seed in the 32-team or 16-team brackets to be shut out in an IHSA 8A quarterfinal game. Also, in the quarterfinals in the largest class (5A, 6A and 8A) the 35-0 win is tied for the fourth-biggest shutout victory in the largest class and it tied for the ninth-largest winning margin in the largest class.

Also, the Broncos had scored points in their last 53 games before losing 35-0 to Lockport. The last time that they was shutout was by Warren Township 19-0 in the 2021 season opener. In the past three seasons, the Broncos went 30-6 and scored in double digits in 34 games. Their other low point total was a 49-6 semifinals loss to Lincoln-Way East in 2023.

Of course, this is a different week and a different opponent. But this Porters team has certainly certainly put itself among the all-time best in school history. Their 8 straight wins in a season is something that only three other teams have done in school history. Those were in 2002 (13 straight from Week 2 to Week 14), 2004 (9 straight from Week 1 to Week 14), and 1966 (8 straight from Week 2 to Week 9).

"We like to walk softly and carry a big stick," Czart said. "I'm very proud to be associated with these kids. It's been a pleasure to see them get better each week, each game. We have a lot of competitive kids out there."

Yes, they do and the defense was stellar in the the Porters second ever postseason shutout (34-0 over Glenbard West in the second round in 2021 was the other). Seniors Colton Benaitis, Andre Labuda, Nick Moerman, and Drew Silzer, as well as juniors Cornell Bass, Jake Manzo (INT), DJ McCullough (Blocked punt and score for a TD), and Josh Kies (INT), were all instrumental against the Broncos, holding them to 210 total yards, including just 73 passing. 

On offense, Lockport quarterback Brendan Mecher is elusive running the ball. He had 21 carries for 138 yards and a trio of touchdowns against Barrington. Fellow senior Chris Miller had 107 total yards, including 16 carries for 94 rushing yards and a TD. Senior Adam Kozak is the leading receiver. 

Oswego counters with senior wide receiver/defensive back Mariano Velasco, who was named Class 8A  First Team All-State by the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association. He joins Benaitis on that list.

"He's All-State and a very good player," Czart said of Velasco. "He has a lot of touchdowns."

The Panthers are very opportunistic, especially playing at home on their grass field. One of the few in the Chicago area that's still grass. Although the game was on the road, they were outgained 378-191 against Maine South. But rallied from an early 14-0 deficit  by forcing five turnovers — plus four turnovers on downs.  

Velasco (3 catches for 71 yards) caught a pair of touchdown passes from junior quarterback Drew Kleinhans (4-for-9 passing, 85 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT). He added a pick-6 to extend the Panthers lead to 24-14 with 11:41 left in the game.

Kaleb Stumpenhorst, a senior who is also the teams punter, booted a 43- yard field goal late in the third quarter to give the Panthers their first lead.

Zane Szynkowski, a junior, has taken over as Lockport placekicker and was perfect on extra point kicks last week.

"Unfortunately Matt Blazewski tore his ACL," Czart said of the injury to his senior kicker, who was injured in the 21-14 first-round playoff win at Sandburg. "But Zane has filled in before and as the games go on, he gets more and more confident." 

Both the Panthers and the Porters come into this game confident. This is the fifth semifinal appearance for the Panthers, who are 2-2 in the previous four and have a pair of State Championships (1992 in Class 4A and 2003 in Class 7A). This is Oswego's first semifinal appearance in 22 years. Lockport has won each of the previous times it has made the semifinals (2002, 2003, 2021) and went onto win the state those years too. 

The weather is supposed to be be fine. After a high in the low 50s during the day, it will drop into the mid 40s for the 5 PM kickoff. It may get down to 40 by the end of the game, but winds are supposed to be light and there is almost no chance of rain. 

"We're playing on grass again, so that's different," said Czart, whose squad played on grass at Neuqua Valley in a 41-17 win in the last game of the regular season. "But I like the idea of playing on a Saturday night for the fourth straight week. We've been fortunate enough to keep the same routine."

Lockport is 4-1 in one-score games this season, with a pair of playoff wins, while the Panthers are 1-1. 

"We're battled tested, but so are they," Czart said. "It's nice that we've been in close games and the kids have that feeling that they've been here before.

"We've worked toward a common goal together. We're focused. We want to enjoy it, but at the same time, we want to wait for any celebration until after the season ends."
 

By Randy Whalen

After four games this season, the Lockport Township football team was 1-3. Now the Porters are in the Final Four.

Perhaps not many on the outside saw this coming. But the players did, and after all, that's what matters most.

Hitting on all cylinders, Lockport was completely dominant in shutting out second-seeded Barrington 35-0 in a Class 8A quarterfinal game on Saturday, November 15, at Lockport. 

"The biggest thing in the game was coming out early, metaphorically punching them in the mouth and making a statement early in the game," Lockport senior free safety Colton Benaitis said. "I don’t think they were ready for that.

"Yeah, when we were 1-3, everyone counted us out. There were a few people outside of the team who believed in us, but all it takes is for us to believe in us. From that point on, we have been saying if you aren’t with us, you’re against us. We believed in ourselves, and now we’re here."

Yes, they are, and last Saturday was the most complete game of the season for the Porters (9-3), who won their eighth straight and advanced to the state semifinals for the fourth time in school history. This is also the third time in school history they have won at least eight straight games in a season. The others were 2002 (13 straight from Week 2 to Week 14)and 1966 (8 straight from Week 2 to Week 9).

No. 23-seeded Lockport will travel to face No. 11-seeded Oswego, which upset No. 3-seeded Maine South 24-21, this Saturday, November 22, at 5 PM. The winner of that will take on either top-seeded Mount Carmel or No. 4-seeded Fremd for the Class 8A State Championship on Saturday, November 29, at Hancock Stadium on the campus of Illinois State University.

The defense was all over Barrington (10-2) from the start. The Broncos had scored 451 points, an average of 41 per game, in their first 11 games. They had not scored less than 21 in a game all year, had scored 35 or more points nine times, and put up 72 points on Halloween in their opening round playoff game against Elgin.

Against the Porters, Barrington didn't reach the Red Zone until the final two minutes of the game. It was the second-ever postseason shutout for Lockport. The other was 34-0 against Glenbard West in a 2021 second-round game en route to the Class 8A State Championship. 

"Defensively, we're doing great," Lockport senior defensive tackle Michael Pratt said. "I'm just proud of my boys. We show up at practice, and there's no more fun and games. It's all serious. Now we seniors are going out with a bang.

"We were 1-3, but since then, we've had great focus. Plus, having Colton Benaitis in the game is huge. He just brings more energy."

Benaitis missed the first four games of the season with a broken collarbone. When he returned, in Week 5 against host Naperville North, he was inserted on offense late in the game and caught a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendan Mecher with 5:17 to play. That proved to be the winning score as the Porters got a huge 20-17 win to avoid going 1-4 to start the season.

"That touchdown during the Naperville North game was really a statement of what we can do," Benaitis said. "The team being undefeated with me playing has nothing to do with just me. My brothers around me are the reason we do what we do. This is a true team that will live and die for the guy next to them."

Despite missing a third of the season, Benaitis was named as one of the 18 players on the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State Team. Lockport senior linebacker Andre Labuda was named as an Honorable Mention. 

"It truly is a blessing to be named All-State, and it has always been a dream of mine," Benaitis said. "I know it was a dream of my brother (Tanner) when he played, so hopefully I made him proud by earning it. The job isn’t finished, though!"

No, it's not, and against Barrington, it began in the first quarter. The Broncos quickly moved to a first-and-10 at the Lockport 22. But, following an illegal procedure penalty, Benaitis made a big play as he tackled sophomore running back Lamar Osterhues for a 10-yard loss.

The Broncos ended up attempting to punt from the Lockport 39. But the Porters had other plans, as junior DJ McCullough raced in and not only blocked the punt, but he scooped it up and dashed 54 yards for a tone-setting touchdown with 9:19 left in the first quarter. 

"We just put that play in on Friday, Lockport coach George Czart said of the punt block. "We knew they had two guys back to block on the punts, so we sent three in hopes that one of them could get it, and that was DJ. He's done great."

"I've been part of a lot of great victories, but when we blocked the punt, it was very huge. The hugest."

McCullough, who switched positions from linebacker to the defensive front during the season, was ready.

"Coach Czart put in a new punt block this Friday," Mcullough said. "My teammates and I just executed the play just like how coach drew it together. The block and score felt surreal at the moment it all happened so fast, but afterwards it felt great celebrating with my team on the sideline. 

"Switching positions later in the year really helped me be able to play more at the line of scrimmage and make more plays as an aggressive player. We turned the season around by sounding out all outside noise and just locking in to what we needed to do to take that next step forward and keep going."

After the punt block, the game settled in a bit as the teams exchanged punts. Late in the first quarter, the Broncos had a fourth-and-one at the Lockport 40 and went for it. But senior linebacker Drew Silzer blitzed in and blew it up by sacking senior quarterback Luke Tepas for an 8-yard loss. 

Five plays later, Mecher capped a 52-yard drive by dashing in on a 24-yard touchdown run. Junior Zane Szynkowski added the extra point, and Lockport led 14-0 with 22.2 seconds left in the first quarter. 

Following another Barrington three-and-out, the Porters drove 57 yards in eight plays, and Mecher darted in at the right pylon for a 5-yard TD run with 7:29 left to play in the first half for a 21-0 lead. That stood as the halftime score. The senior quarterback was limited to 19 yards passing, but had 21 carries for 138 yards and three touchdowns.

"It feels awesome," Mecher said. "DJ's blocked punt on special teams set the tone, and to get seven points there was a big start. We were up 21-0 at halftime, and we knew we couldn't stop, we couldn't let off the gas. 

"It's culture. We didn't start the season well, but we just believe. The guys in our room don't listen to things on the outside. We just put our heads down and figure out a way."

The big plays continued in the second half. On the Broncos' second possession, they drove to a third-and-seven at the Lockport 29. But Tepas tossed an interception to junior defensive back Jake Manzo, who returned it 29 yards to midfield. Six plays later, Mecher scored his third touchdown of the game, this one on an 18-yard run, and Lockport led 28-0 with 2:23 left in the third quarter.

"I just saw the receiver and one of our linebackers tipped it, and I was able to get it," Manzo said of his pick. "But it was our defensive line that got the pressure and made it happen.

"This is just huge for us, and it feels great. Especially after a 1-3 start, and now we are here."

A roughing the kicker call on Barrington kept the next Porter drive alive. In all, they covered 65 yards in 17 plays, keeping the ball for 8:37. Senior running back Chris Miller, who had 16 carries for 94 yards and added a trio of receptions for 13 yards, capped it off by plowing in from a yard out for a 35-0 lead with 4:38 to play in the game. 

That was the second-highest point total given up by Barrington this year. Maine South scored 41 in a 41-21 win on Friday, September 19. 

With many Lockport reserves in, the Broncos finally crossed into the Red Zone, reaching the Porter 17 with just under two minutes to play. But on third and two from there, Tepas (8-of-21, 73 yards) had his pass intercepted by junior defensive back Josh Kies, whose twin brother Matt Kies had made a huge play to tip away a 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds to help preserve the Porters' 21-20 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor. Lockport then ran out the final 1:10 of the clock and celebrated the big victory.

Especially Benaitis, who ran up to Kies, picking him up and giving him a big hug.

"Yeah, after Josh’s interception, I was just so happy to see him make that play," Benaitis said. "So I didn’t think twice, I just ran up and gave him a big hug."  

That epitomized the Porters' team culture. They certainly set some standards in the victory. In the largest classes (5A, 6A, and 8A) quarterfinal round, the 35-0 win over Barrington tied for the fourth-biggest shutout victory in the largest class, and it tied for the ninth-largest winning margin in the largest class. 

For a few years, the IHSA had 8-team brackets. But Barrington is the highest seed in the current 32-team or past 16-team brackets to be shut out in an IHSA 8A quarterfinal game. The Portes shutout also ties for third third-largest 8A margin ever in a quarterfinal shutout, and is tied for the sixth-largest 8A quarterfinal winning margin overall. 

All of this from a 1-3 start to a record-setting quarterfinal round and beyond.

"Even when we were 1-3, they bought in," Czart said of his team."A lot of these kids have played together since they were little. They have a tight bond together. They want to win and want to play together more. They like to compete and don't want this to end."

By Randy Whalen

Following Lockport's thrilling 21-20 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor in the second round of the Class 8A Illinois High School Association State Playoffs, the Porters were presented a plaque.

The eight teams in each class that advanced to the quarterfinals received a quarterfinal plaque. They should, because it's a big accomplishment. 

This is the fifth time in program history that Lockport has advanced to at least the quarterfinals. The other ones were in 1998, 2002, 2003, and 2021. The last three times, the Porters went on to win the Class 8A State Title.  

"We're very proud of that," Lockport coach George Czart said of advancing to the quarterfinals. "But we will reflect on that later. Right now we're here and we don't want it to end. We have to put our foot down on the pedal and keep going."

Yes, that's what the No. 23-seeded Porters (8-3) want to do as they face an extremely good team in No. 2-seeded Barrington (10-1) this Saturday at home in the quarterfinals.  

This is only the second time that the Porters have hosted a quarterfinal. The other was a 27-14 win over Wheaton-Warrenville South in 2003, when they scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to rally for the win. The 13-point margin was their closest in the playoffs that year, the second of their back-to-back state titles.  

In an interesting thing, the date of that Wheaton-Warrenville South game was November 15, 2003, so exactly 22 years earlier than this season's match-up.

This is the second time in the past three seasons and the 11th time in school history that the Broncos have advanced to at least the quarterfinals. The last time, in 2023, they edged Maine South 42-40 in a quarterfinal, before falling 49-6 to Lincoln-Way East in a semifinal. Barrington has played for one state championship. That was in Class 6A in 1998, and was a 42-14 loss to Wheaton-Warrenville South.

But Barrington has been scoring like mad this season, with 451 points, including winning their opening round playoff game 72-13 over Elgin. The Broncos, who won the Mid-Suburban West and have won 7 in a row, have scored at least 21 points in every game this season. The 21 points were actually scored in their only loss, which was 41-21 in Week No. 4 to Maine South, which could be the next opponent for the winner in the semifinals. 

"Their running back is good," Czart said. "He has a huge offensive line. They have a big, strong quarterback and a big wide receiver, too. They have a very physical team. We'll have to play our best game ever."

The running back is sophomore Lamar Osterhues, who averages 100.3 yards rushing per game and has scored 21 total touchdowns. Senior quarterback Luke Tepas has 24 touchdown passes. Senior Owen Cook, who has caught 8 of those, and junior Austin Coles, who has 7 TDs and averages 72.3 yards receiving per game, are the leading receivers. 

Owen Fors, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound senior who has committed to Northwestern, is a 2-way lineman. Seniors Charlie Ploder on the line, along with linebackers Jackson Taylor and Jett Kohanzo, lead the defense. But Barrington has given up 207 points, although its last six opponents have scored a total of 73 points, so the defense has improved. 

Conversely, the Porters have only given up more than 21 points twice this season. Those were in back-to-back losses to Homewood-Flossmoor (28-13 in Week No. 2) and Lincoln-Way East (49-14 in Week No. 3). In its seven-game win streak, Lockport has allowed 103 points.

The heroes were many for the Porters in last week's win. Starting with junior defensive back Matt Kies, who batted down a potential game-winning 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds. But after H-F recovered an onside kick, junior defensive lineman Darrell McCullough made a key tackle to keep a Viking player in bounds and help run out the clock. 

Kies, senior defensive back AJ Garcia, along with senior linebacker Nick Moerman, all had 7 tackles to lead the Lockport defense. McCullough had 5 tackles, a trio of those for loss. Senior lineman Tyrone Evans and Ethan Sydnor, and junior lineman Cornell Bass all had tackles for loss. Big Michael Pratt, who is a senior defensive end and was named the Defensive Player of the Week in the first round win at Sandburg, is also looked to. 

Of course, so are seniors Drew Silzer at linebacker, who had an interception on the game's final play last week, and Colton Benaitis, who was just named to the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association All-State team as a defensive back. That happened despite him missing the first four games this season with a broken collarbone. So that speaks volumes about his impact and talent. 

On offense last week, Brendan Mecher wasn't called on to pass much. But he completed all three of his passes and ran for 98 yards and two touchdowns. Fellow senior Chris Miller scored a TD and had 23 carries for 141 yards. Senior Adam Kozak is the leading receiver.

The offensive line of junior Philip Ponterio at left tackle, senior Jaylen Cox at left guard, junior Nick Ontiveros at center, senior Owen Wilczak at right guard, and junior Marcello Thomas at right tackle, will have to be huge as well.

There were numerous twists and turns in the fourth quarter of last week's game, which saw each team score a pair of touchdowns. The game appeared to be over with just over 2:00 left. But a roughing the punter penalty on the Vikings, that would have given Lockport a first down, was waved off, and ruled that the player was blocked into the punter. 

Lockport was also penalized twice for unsportsmanlike conduct after Mecher scored on an 18-yard run on a fourth-and-four play for a 21-7 lead. That led to a short field and a quick H-F touchdown.

"It's all about this week and the things we have to improve and work on," said Czart, whose team is 4-1 in one-score games this season. "Thank God we are winning these close games. But we have to clean up our sloppy play and lack of discipline. 

"We were able to overcome it, but we have to keep our composure. We had a couple of personal fouls, and that's not the team that I want us to be."

This is the 11th time in school history that the Porters have reached at least eight wins in a season. The other 10 times were 1912 (, 1929 (, 1966 (, 1980 (, 1997 (9), 1998 (10), 2002 (13), 2003 (12), 2004 (9), and 2021 (13). 

This is also the sixth time that Lockport has won at least seven straight games in a season. The others were 2002 (13 straight from Week 2 to Week 14), 1966 (8 straight from Week 2 to Week 9), 1931 (7 straight from Week 1 to Week 7), 1998 (7 straight from Week 5 to Week 11), and 2021 (7 straight from Week 1 to Week 7).

This is also the first time that the Porters have had consecutive home playoff games since winning the first two in 2021 en route to the Class 8A State Championship. This is also incredibly their eighth home game this season.

A nice thing is that this week's weather is supposed to be much better than last week, when a steady rain fell throughout the game and the temperature fell to 40. The high on Saturday is forecast to be 65, but falling into the 50s for the 6 PM kickoff. Wind will be out of the west at 15 MPH.

"I love it and we are thankful for the opportunity," Czart said of playing back at home again. "We've got to embrace it, look forward to it, and use it to our advantage. We are looking forward to it and will go out to do our very best."

By Randy Whalen

Do your job.

That simple statement is often applied to the game of football more than any other, since all 11 guys have to do their job and work together.

Well, Lockport Township junior defensive back Matt Kies did his job. Because of that, the Porter football team is moving on to the state quarterfinals.  

Kies made the key play as he flew in and batted down a 2-point conversion pass in the final seconds as the Porters held on for a 21-20 victory over Homewood-Flossmoor in a classic Class 8A second-round matchup on a rainy Saturday night, November 8, at Lockport.

No. 23-seeded Lockport (8-3) won its seventh straight game and will host No. 2-seeded Barrington in a quarterfinal matchup this Saturday at 6 PM. It's the fifth time in school history (1998, 2002, 2003, 2021, 2025) that the Porters have advanced to the quarterfinals. The previous three all resulted in Class 8A State Championships.

"These are my brothers, and I love them," Kies said. "I just knew I had to do my job, my 1/11th."

No. 26-seeded H-F (6-5) did a great job in scoring a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns to rally from a 14-point deficit. Junior quarterback Rahsaan Coleman threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to senior Myles Ellis with 25.7 seconds to play to make it a one-point game.

The Vikings, who beat Lockport 28-13 on the same field on Friday, September 12, in a Week No. 3 Southwest Valley Conference Blue Division matchup, decided to go for two and the win. On an option play, Ellis rolled to his right and threw a pass that was intended for sophomore Xavier Pratt, who appeared to be wide open. But Kies flew in at the last moment and leaped to swat the ball away.

"I just had to make a play for my team," said Kies, who came back from missing his whole freshman football season with a fractured right hip. "I saw him (Pratt) waiting there for the ball and knew I had to swat it away."

He did, but the excitement still wasn't over. The Vikings had a successful onside kick and recovered at the Lockport 47. But, following an incompletion, junior defensive back Jake Manzo made a tackle in bounds following a short pass play, and the clock ran down to just a few seconds by the time Coleman spiked it. Senior defensive back Drew Silzer intercepted his last pass, and the Porters hung on for a memorable win.

"It was a great win," Silzer said. "I thought if we got another opportunity to play H-F, we could beat them, and we did. The last five minutes of the game were crazy, and it felt amazing to finish off the game with a pick. 

"The 2-point conversion play was amazing. Just Matt Kies having the discipline to stay on his man was great —it was a season-saving play. At the start of the season, I knew this team could be special. We started slow, but everyone on the team knew we could turn it around. We now have another week to go out and prove ourselves again."

Yes, they do, because that's what Porters do.

"It seemed that things were going against us most all of the fourth quarter, and we kept battling," Lockport coach George Czart said. "Matt Kies made a great play. Just to come in, see the ball like that, and make a great individual effort.

"Special groups do special things, and that's what we have here."

Coleman capped the game's opening drive by running in a touchdown from 9 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 6:10 left in the first quarter. The Porters came right back, and senior quarterback Brendan Mecher answered with a 9-yard TD run of his own with 11:54 left in the second quarter. When H-F jumped offside on the extra point kick, the Porters took the penalty and went for two. Senior running back Chris Miller scored on that, and Lockport led 8-7.

With the wet conditions, Lockport had a fumble late in the second quarter, and senior linebacker Aeneas Allen recovered at the H-F 16 with 21.4 seconds left in the half, and the Vikings ran out the clock. 

So it was still 8-7 at halftime and also 8-7 at the end of the third quarter. But the fourth quarter was wild. Miller, who had 23 carries for 141 yards, scored from 9 yards out with 11:20 left in the game. But the snap was high and the extra point kick was missed, leaving the score at 14-7. 

The Porters, who had over 300 yards in offense, were able to get about 250 on the ground. That was thanks to the offensive line of junior Philip Ponterio at left tackle, senior Jaylen Cox at left guard, junior Nick Ontiveros at center, senior Owen Wilczak at right guard, and junior Marcello Thomas at right tackle.

"When I first heard we got the chance to play H-F again, I was excited to show our growth as a team throughout the season and come out with more aggression and chemistry as a team," Ponterio said. "I thought we performed much better and really showcased our potential not only as an offensive line group, but also as an offensive unit".

Following Miller's score, senior safety Colton Benaitis, who was all over as usual, then recovered the ensuing short kickoff. That set the Porters up with good field position. Mecher then raced in on an 18-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-four play. Junior Zane Szynkowski added the extra point, and Lockport led 21-7 with 8:58 to play.

Mecher completed all three of his passes for 60 yards and had 14 carries for 98 yards. 

"That was a great play, one of the best I've seen in a while," Mecher said of Kies' tipped pass. "Matt is a great, young, scrappy player."

Taking advantage of a short field, H-F senior wide receiver Joaquin Jordan took a direct snap and scored from a yard out. Sophomore Adrian Desiderio added the extra point to cut the lead to 21-14 with 4:35 to play.

After an apparent roughing the punter penalty was waved off, because it was ruled that the ball was tipped, the Vikings drove 65 yards in less than two minutes, including a 9-yard pass from Coleman to Ellis on fourth down to keep the drive alive. That set up the exciting finish.

"The awareness that Kies had to have to make that play was next level," Miller said. “Him coming all the way across the field and making that diving play to bat the ball down was just out of this world. That was the highlight of the whole defense’s play.

"This is the most exciting feeling I've had in my life. I had tears of joy coming off the field after the game." 

This is the 10th time in school history that the Porters have reached at least eight wins in a season. The other nine times were 1929 (8), 1966 (8), 1980 (8), 1997 (9), 1998 (10), 2002 (13), 2003 (12), 2004 (9), and 2021 (13). 

"We started 1-3, and we were still figuring things out," Mecher said. "We're a completely different team now. It feels amazing to go to the quarterfinals. I'm super excited." 

By Randy Whalen

Besides the Class 8A State Championship in 2021, the Lockport Township football team has one other season in the past 20 years, before this one, where it had seven wins.

The Porters, who had 13 victories in 2021, are now 7-3 heading into this weekend's Class 8A second-round home playoff game. 

In 2011, they were also 7-3 heading into a second-round playoff game. Their opponent in that game 14 years ago?

Homewood-Flossmoor.

Their opponent this weekend?

Homewood-Flossmoor.

One thing is for certain, Lockport is not only hoping for a different result than 14 years ago against the Vikings (A 48-7 loss in Floosmoor), it is looking for a different result than earlier this season. 

That was a 28-13 H-F victory on Friday, September 12, in a Southwest Valley Conference game in Lockport. 

In that game, Myles Ellis was a difference maker. The senior wide receiver/defensive back had 6 receptions for 157 yards and a pair of touchdowns. He also had two interceptions, and for good measure, he is also the team's punter and holds on the extra point and field goal kicks. 

In the team's meeting in the last game of the 2024 season, Ellis had 8 catches for 129 yards. But his performance couldn't keep the Porters from rallying for a 36-32 victory, which knocked H-F out of the playoffs. Lockport trailed 26-7 at halftime. 

"The last couple of years, he's been a player who has caused us concern," Lockport coach George Czart said of Ellis. "But we didn't have Colton Benaitis in the first game, and he's been a difference maker for us."

How good has Benaitis been since returning to the lineup for the fifth game of the season?

"He’s out there just making plays every day, and he’s a great leader," fellow Lockport senior defensive back Armando (AJ) Garcia Jr. said of Benaitis. "I love playing with him. I don’t want it to end.

"He’s not just the best safety in the state. He’s the best in the nation."

Both Benaitis and Garcia had interceptions in last week's exciting 21-14 opening round playoff win over Sandburg in Orland Park. 

But the entire Porter defense stepped up big. Senior linebackers Nick Moerman, who was named the Defensive Player of the Game, had 13 tackles, and Drew Silzer added 9 tackles. Senior defensive tackle Michael Pratt also had 9 tackles as the defense held the Eagles to 181 total yards. 

On offense, senior quarterback Brendan Mecher had 25 carries for 100 yards and was 8-of-16 passing for 117 yards. Senior Adam Kozak had a half dozen receptions for 67 yards, but the play of the game was turned in by Khairi Sias. That happened on the first play of the fourth quarter when the junior wide receiver hauled in a 49-yard touchdown pass to give Lockport a 21-7 lead.

Senior running backs Chris Miller (20 carries for 73 yards) and Rayden Cherco (6 carries for 37 yards), who was named as the Offensive Player of the Game, helped Lockport to a 28:39 total time of possession.  

"I love being the road warriors," said Czart of the Porters, who are undefeated on the road at 4-0 this season. "We had a nice crowd with a great atmosphere at Sandburg. Both teams made big plays, and it was very exciting."

Not only will the Porters have to stop Ellis, but they also have to watch out for H-F junior quarterback Rahsaan Coleman (11-of-18, 211 yards in the first meeting with Lockport) and sophomore running back Layden Williams (23 carries for 86 yards, 2 TDs in the September game).

Lockport could be without senior kicker Matt Blazewski, who has battled injuries throughout the season and left the Sandburg game late in the first half after being injured on a field goal attempt that didn't count. If he can't go, then junior Zane Szynkowski, who kicked a 30-yard field goal on the last play of the first half, and added an extra point after Sias' TD catch, will step in as kicker.

"Yes, Zane did a very good job," Czart said. "We don't know Matt's status yet, but Zane will be fine on extra points as we hope to score touchdowns anyway." 

This is the eighth time that the Porters have won at least one playoff game. The others were in 1985, 1997, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2011, and 2021. What has made this team special?

"It's a tight-knit group," Czart said. "They have been playing together since they were little kids. We just have some savvy kids who work hard and take to their coaching. They're all in and whatever it takes, they are ready to do. 

"They go out and do things to the best of their ability. They do a lot of work and do it for the team."

The home game this Saturday is scheduled for 6 PM. So far this season, there has hardly been any rain at one of the games. That may change this weekend. The high during the day is supposed to be about 51. But by evening, the temps will be in the mid-40s with winds between 5-10 MPH and a chance of rain at 80 percent. 

"There's a chance of rain, but I'm not worried about it," Czart said. "I have a raincoat. I'm looking forward to a nice week of preparation and just enjoying being out there with these guys. I just want to make every moment count."
 

By Randy Whalen

Having a birthday in early November, Lockport Township football coach George Czart knows if he's still coaching after his birthday, it's been a good season.

It's been a good season. 

The Porters' good season continued as they held on for a 21-14 victory over Sandburg in a hard-fought Class 8A first-round playoff game on Saturday night, November 1, in Orland Park.

It was the sixth straight win for the No. 23-seeded Porters (7-3), who will host another Southwest Valley Blue team, Homewood-Flossmoor, this Saturday, November 8, at 6 PM in a second-round game. The No. 26-seeded Vikings (6-4) creamed Curie 56-8 on Saturday afternoon in an opening-round matchup. 

H-F won this season's conference clash back on Friday, September 12, by a score of 28-13 in Lockport. 

But that was then, and this is now, as the Porters are playing well. Much better than their singing of Happy Birthday to Czart, who turned 63 on Sunday, November 2, following the game.

"They were a little bit out of key, but it was still good," Czart smiled at the Happy Birthday song. "I'm going to enjoy my birthday. We knew we would have our hands full, and it was a total team victory."

It was, but looking for some score separation, Lockport had a huge play. 

That came on the first play of the fourth quarter, and it was the moment that Khairi Sias had been waiting for. When it came, the junior wide receiver made the most of it.

Sias hauled in a 49-yard touchdown pass with 11:52 to play in the game to give the Porters a two-touchdown cushion. The play was a surprise, given the fact that the Porters were running the ball well all game, finishing with 52 carries for 212 yards on the ground.

"Our coaches are amazing," Sias said. "This feels great."

With Lockport clinging to a 7-point lead at midfield to open the fourth quarter, the coaches called Sias' number. 

"That was all, Kristopher Norton," Czart said of the play call by his offensive coordinator. "He told me, 'I'm going to throw it deep.' I said, 'It's your game.' Khairi had an extra-long run and got it."

It was a perfect pass from senior quarterback Brendan Mecher, which Sias caught right as he was crossing the goal line for a 21-7 lead. It was his only reception of the game. 

"I had been waiting for that opportunity all game," Sias said. "I had been blocking and waiting for that moment, and when my time came, it came. It was amazing, and it was a great ball."

It was Mecher, who was 8-of-16 for 117 yards and added 25 carries for 100 yards, who was ready to throw it. 

"Literally, I was telling him that I was going to get him one," Mecher said of the TD pass. "I promised him, and being a dog, he went out and made the play."

But the No. 10-seeded Eagles (7-3), who lost 28-7 to Lockport in a conference game on October 10, battled back. Senior Jeffrey Bellik, who filled in as a quarterback for the final two and a half quarters in the team's first meeting, tossed a 31-yard touchdown pass to junior Lucas Matykiewicz to cap the ensuing drive and cut the lead to 21-14 with 8:28 to play.

Lockport held the ball for over six minutes but turned it over on downs at the Eagle 35 with 2:07 remaining. Sandburg had a second-and-6 at the Porter 44, but threw two straight incompletions to set up fourth down. Then Sandburg junior quarterback Sean Ruisz (5-of-14, 50 yards) was pressured by junior defensive end Darrell McCullough and threw an interception to senior Armando (AJ) Garcia Jr. with 58 seconds to play, and Lockport ran out the clock.

“I knew I had help on the side from Colton (Benaitis), so I could just stay on my outside boundary, read the quarterback and see what he was doing,” Garcia said. “I kind of just found the hole, he threw it there, and I was there to make the play.”

Mecher loves the Porter defense.

"The defense played amazingly, and came up with the big plays," Mecher said. "It was an amazing neighborhood rivalry game, and we came out on top."

Sandburg opened the scoring when junior running back Quinn Durkin darted around the left side and scored from 21 yards out with 5:54 left in the first quarter.  

The Porters got in gear and had a 17-play drive start at their own 20. It stalled, but Matt Blazewski boomed a 24-yard field goal with 4:49 left in the second quarter. But the senior kicker was injured on the ensuing kickoff. 

Benaitis had an interception on the second play of the next Eagles possession. He returned it 30 yards to the Sandburg seven with 3:57 left in the second quarter. But the drive stalled, and Blazewski was well enough to try a 29-yard field goal. It was good, but a flag was thrown on the play, and it was waved off. 

Blazewski was injured again on the play, and thanks to the penalty that wasn't, his field goal didn't count. So the Porters went for it on fourth and goal from the 12, and Mecher was stopped after a 6-yard gain. 

But the Porter defense, which had contributions from senior linebackers Andre Labuda, Nick Moerman, and Drew Silzer, as well as junior defensive end Cornell Bass, and of course Benaitis, forced a punt out of the end zone. 

"I bring the energy when I play,” Benaitis said. “Every practice is like a game. We bring the energy, we scream. We take that into games. I try to get everyone going. I want to provide that energy, communication, and leadership."

That set Lockport up at the Eagle 34 with 25 seconds to play in the second quarter. On a key play, senior Adam Kozak, who had 6 receptions for 67 yards, hauled in an 11-yard pass to the 13 with seconds to play. That allowed junior Zane Szynkowski, who filled in for Blazewski, to line a 30-yard field goal through the uprights on the last play of the first half to cut the lead to 7-6 at halftime.

On the Porter's first possession of the third quarter, Mecher capped a 76-yard, 13-play drive by plowing in from a yard out with 4:48 to play in the third quarter. Following a penalty on the extra point, they decided to go for two, and Mecher ran that in for a 14-7 advantage.

"We decided to go for two because it was closer," Mecher said of the 2-point conversion. "We've got to do what we've got to do, and I got in the end zone."

The victory was the first postseason one for Lockport since it won the 2021 Class 8A State Championship and 21st in school history. The Porters reached seven wins for the third time, with 2011 being the other, since capping a 34-4 three-season run, which included the 2002 and 2003 back-to-back Class 8A state Championships, in 2004.

It was a tough loss for the Eagles, who have dropped nine straight postseason games, last winning one by the score of 24-20 over Proviso West in an 8A first-round matchup in 2010. Still, their seven wins were their most since also finishing 7-3 in 2012. Senior defensive lineman Ugnius Zaukas was everywhere for them against Lockport.

But this was still a very nice season for Sandburg under its first-year coach, Sheamus Murphy. His entire team lined up to hug him after the game, and he's had a great impact since returning to the school where he graduated from in 2008. There are plenty of skill players expected back for the Eagles next season, so their future looks bright.

"It was a good game," Murphy said of the matchup with the Porters. "But it should have been at least a quarterfinal matchup."

Lockport hopes to advance to the quarterfinals with a win this week. That's only happened four other times (1998, 2002, 2003, and 2021), and three of those were State Title seasons. 

By Randy Whalen

Due to a switch in conferences, the Lockport Township and Carl Sandburg football teams didn't meet last season.

The two teams are making up for it this year.

For the second time in four weeks, the Porters will travel to Sandburg for a football game. But there's a little more at stake this time around as the meeting will be in the opening round of the Class 8A playoffs.

"Twice is nice," Lockport coach George Czart said of playing Sandburg again. "For the fans, it's absolutely great. It's a big rivalry game, and Sandburg is a good school with good coaches."

Yes, with Sheamus Murphy in his first season as head coach, the Eagles have been very good this season, going 7-2 and 5-2 in the Blue Division of the Southwest Valley Conference. They started 5-0, lost two straight, and then won their final two games. That included a 21-13 win over Lincoln-Way East in the final regular season game on Thursday, October 23, in Frankfort.
 
That win, coupled with Naperville North and Lockport both winning, put the league into a 4-way tie, including Lincoln-Way East. It's the first time that Sandburg has captured a share of a conference championship since 1995. While based on head-to-head competition, the Porters are the official conference champions, each team can say they captured a share of it.

However, what's more important now is which team will move on in the postseason. Sandburg hasn't won a postseason game since 2010, losing eight straight since a 24-20 win over Proviso West in the opening round of the Class 8A playoffs. 

This is the No. 10-seeded Eagles' 33rd postseason appearance since 1975. They qualified for the playoffs for 18 consecutive seasons between 1984 and 2001, with one semifinal appearance in 1993. This is their third straight and fourth in the past five years.

This is the 19th playoff berth for No. 23-seeded Lockport since 1979. That includes a trio of Class 8A State Championships (2002, 2003, 2021). After winning the championship in 2021, the Porters have dropped their next two postseason games. Those were 38-7 at Glenbard West in 2022 and 35-0 at Maine South in 2023. 

Lockport was 4-5 and didn't qualify last season, but has won five in a row this fall to improve to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the league.

Included in that 5-game win streak is a 28-7 victory at Sandburg on October 10 in Week No. 7. There, Porter senior quarterback Brendan Mecher ran for four touchdowns. The line of seniors Jaylen Cox, Cole Callahan Sullivan, and Owen Wilczak. along with juniors Phillip Ponterio and Marcello Thomas, helped Mecher gain 93 yards on 21 carries and complete 9-of-18 passes for 135 yards.

Adam Kozak has been the top receiver, while Chris Miller has been the leading runner for Lockport all season. But fellow senior Rayden Cherico has shared the load in the last few games and scored a rushing touchdown in last week's 41-17 victory at Neuqua Valley. 

"We got Sandburg now, and even though we beat them, it's going to be a challenge," Cherico said. "We know we are in for a fight. We all need to be locked in and play error-free football."

That's something the Porters didn't do in the conference game. They had 15 penalties for 105 yards.

"Last time we had a lot of penalties," Czart said. "Hopefully, we can clean that up. We don't need to play against Sandburg and ourselves.

"We have to clean up our mistakes from the last time we played them. We were vulnerable there. It's a physical game, and we want to make sure that we are physically as well as mentally ready."

Drew Silzer and fellow senior linebacker Nick Moerman had sacks. Junior defensive lineman Darrell McCullough had a fumble recovery, and senior Colton Benaitis, who can also double at wide receiver, was big in the secondary. 

"We are more than excited to play Sandburg again," Benaitis said. "They are easily our rival, and we are going to come off the bus as we do."

Benaitis missed the first four games this season with a broken collarbone. But since his return to the lineup, the Porters are undefeated.

"He gave us a spark as soon as he came back," Czart said of Benaitis. "To me, he's the best safety in the state. He's been in on 20 tackles in a game this season. He's a playmaker. He's accumulating stats that guys with whole seasons don't have."

The defense will have to come up big for the Porters again as Sandburg junior quarterback Sean Ruisz is back in the lineup. In the first meeting, he left the lineup after being sacked by Silzer in the second quarter. Senior Jeffery Bellik came in and did his best, but the Eagles didn't score in the last three quarters. 

In last week's big victory over Lincoln-Way East, Ruisz (13-of-21 passing, 163 yards) threw three touchdown passes. The first was a 44-yard one to Bellik (3 catches, 51 yards). He tossed the go-ahead one from 38 yards out to Quinn Durkin (3 receptions, 50 yards) with 7:36 remaining in the fourth quarter, and then a final one from 31 yards out to fellow junior Lucas Matykiewicz (3 catches, 38 yards) in the final seconds. 

So Lockport's secondary has to be ready. 

"Their quarterback is very good," Czart said. "He can run the ball and obviously pass the ball. We have been clicking at the right time, and we have to continue to play our best game."

The weather for Saturday is supposed to be colder, but hopefully clear. The high will be about 50, but the sun will have set by the time the 6 PM kickoff happens. So temps will fall into the low 40s with light winds.  

"We have to know what we want to do and go out and execute it," Czart said. "We have some history with Sandburg, and it has all the makings of a great night. I'm looking forward to it."

By Randy Whalen

It wasn't just a season-ending victory; it was a celebration.

When the Lockport Township football team gathered on the grass at midfield for a picture following a 41-17 victory over Neuqua Valley on Friday night, October 24, in Naperville, the Porters did so with an accomplishment. 

As conference champions. 

That was something that wasn't even in view a couple of weeks ago. However, due to a series of unexpected results, a 4-way tie emerged for the Blue Division of the Southwest Valley Conference championship.

With quarterback and USC commit Jonas Williams, sidelined by injury, Lincoln-Way East (7-2, 5-2) lost its last two conference games. Naperville North (6-3, 5-2) won its final four games, including rallying for the game-winning touchdown in the final minute to defeat Naperville Central 21-15, and Sandburg (7-2, 5-2) captured its final two games, including toppling Lincoln-Way East 21-13 this past Thursday in Frankfort. 

So with Lockport (6-3, 5-2) capturing its fifth straight game, the league got tossed into a 4-way tie. While all four schools will lay claim to the Southwest Valley Blue, the official winner is...

Lockport.

The Porters and Naperville North were 2-1 against the other teams, while the Griffins and Sandburg went 1-2. However, Lockport defeated the Huskies 20-17 on September 26, winning the head-to-head matchup. 

Thus, the Porters are the conference champions. 

"That makes sense to me," Lockport coach George Czart said of the criteria by which his team is the conference champion. "I feel like a wolf in sheep's clothing, and I've been handed the keys to the hen house.

"We knew what was at stake. Our kids love to play football, and if this doesn't excite you as a player, you're not alive."

When the Porters won the Class 8A State Title in 2021, their only loss was 12-10 to Lincoln-Way East. So while Lockport and the Griffins tied for the SouthWest Suburban Conference title, Lincoln-Way East was the official one based on the head-to-head result. 

So this was Lockport's first official league championship since going undefeated in the final season of the SICA Blue in 2004.

What has got the Porters to this point? Toughness.

"I think we came out ready to battle, and from there we just played how we play," Lockport senior defensive back Colton Benaitis said. "Everyone sees it, we are the toughest team, and we like to hit more than anybody. That has been the key to this steak that we've been on."

Since Benaitis came back to the lineup and caught the winning touchdown pass against Naperville North, the Porters haven't lost. In fact, their five-game winning streak is their longest since winning the last six games in 2021.

Neuqua Valley (3-6, 2-5), which is one of the few schools around that still has a grass field, drove down on its first drive and took a 3-0 lead on a 39-yard field goal by senior Michael Creedon. 

Then Lockport took charge. Facing a third-and-four from its own 26, quarterback Brendan Mecher took off for a 53-yard run. Four plays later, fellow senior Chris Miller, who had 76 combined yards from scrimmage, burst through for a 7-yard TD run. That was the first of four straight touchdowns for the Porters. 

Next, Adam Kozak got in on the action. The senior, who is the Porter leading receiver on the season, took a short pass on the right, made a juke move, hopped over a defender, and turned on the jets for a 75-yard touchdown. That made it 13-3 with 5:46 left in the first quarter. 

"I just had great blocks and I have so much trust in my teammates and my blocks," Kozak said. "I just want to thank them.

"This (conference title) feels great because it's what we worked for. I love every one of my teammates, and it's huge for us. Everyone doubted us and what we could do. But we went all out and got it. God is good."

Kozak finished with a trio of catches for 82 yards and added a 30-yard run. Mecher, who left the game after the first series in the second half, was 5-of-10 for 140 yards and added 8 carries for 69 yards. 

Following the Wildcats' throwing an incomplete pass on fourth down from their ow,n 43, Lockport scored again. Mecher joined in on the fun as he darted in for an 11-yard touchdown run on the third play of the second quarter. Senior Matt Blazewski added the extra point, and Lockport led 20-3 with 11:19 left in the second quarter.

"Everything was clicking with the offence, our linemen played great, and so did our receivers and running backs," Mecher said. "We came out firing and didn't stop. It feels great to win a conference championship, but the job is not finished."

The scoring wasn't finished either. Senior Rayden Cherco burst through the middle and scored from 24 yards out, and the Porters led 27-3 with 7:27 left in the second quarter. 

"Yeah, it felt great, it really was on the o-line though," said Cherco, who finished with 5 carries for 39 yards. "Those guys do their job every play and get things open for me and Chris. I thought everything was clicking and everyone was doing their job to get the win!"

Both teams missed field goals in the final minutes of the first half, and it was 27-3 at intermission. Benaitis celebrated not only the conference title, but his birthday two days early, as he had an interception and numerous tackles. Safety Brandyn Brigham added an interception in the third quarter, and fellow juniors Darrell McCullough, who recently moved to the defensive line, and Cornell Bass also had many tackles.

So did seniors Andre Laduda and Michael Pratt as the Porters limited Neuqua Valley to 247 yards.

Lockport opened the third quarter with the ball, and senior David Kundrat joined the party as he scored his first varsity touchdown on a 9-yard sweep to extend the lead to 34-3 just over three minutes into the second half. 

"All season I've been hoping for that touchdown," said Kundrat, who missed 4 games this season due to a concussion. "My team made sure that was a possibility. 

"We came out ready to go from the start, and everyone was into it."

Neuqua Valley had a pair of late touchdowns. Senior running back Andy Barkley scored from a yard out with 1:11 left in the third quarter. Junior Freddie Rook, who isn't the usual kicker, added the extra point. 

With Lockport substituting, Griffin Russell played quarterback most of the second half. The junior scored his first varsity TD on a 14-yard run with 7:08 to play in the game to make it 41-10.

"My first touchdown felt great," Russell said. "I always love to contribute anyway I can to the team. Our team was firing on all cylinders all night. The team was definitely extra motivated to play for the conference championship."

The Wildcats capped the scoring with a 15-play, 79-yard drive and scored the final points when junior quarterback Drake Mennecke found sophomore running back Jack Mackey for a 6-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-3 play with 23.1 seconds to play. 

Junior Christian Mangan added 7 carries for 45 yards, and senior Joshua Moyano added a carry for 16 yards for the Porters. who had 402 yards in total offense, including 262 yards rushing. 

The Porters' six victories are their most since 2021 and the fifth time since 2004 that they have reached that win level. Their playoff journey will start in a familiar place. That's at Sandburg, this Saturday, November 1, at 6 PM. It's a rematch with the Eagles, who started 5-0 but lost 28-7 to Lockport on October 10 in Orland Park.

"We've got Sandburg now, and even though we beat them, it's going to be a challenge," Cherco said. "We know we are in for a fight. We all need to be locked in and play error-free football."
 

By Randy Whalen

Lockport Township football coach George Czart is still concerned. 

Although the Porters won again last week, their fourth in a row, and got to five victories, the veteran coach isn't convinced his team would qualify for the playoffs if they stay at that victory total.

Although the playoff points say they're in good shape.

Following Week 8 action, the Illinois High School Association website listed 28 probable Class 8A teams with at least a 5-3 record. Of those teams, 21 had at least six wins and had clinched a spot. There are 32 teams that make the postseason in each class. The Porters were No. 25 on the list of 5-3 Class 8A teams with 38 points and, based on head-to-head play, will have at least 41 playoff points at the end of this week. 

"I worry about us not getting in with five wins," Czart said. "We've got to take care of business and get our sixth win. Besides, we don't want to play a dominating 8-1 team in the first round. We want to face a comparable team."

Yes, that's what the Porters want to do. They were in the same position in 2022 and in 2023. With a 5-3 record in 2022, Lockport lost 28-27 in double overtime to host Andrew in the final game of the regular season. So instead, it was the Thunderbolts who picked up their sixth win, got a higher seed, and won an opening round Class 8 A game. 

Lockport traveled to face a 1-loss Glenbard West team in an opening-round playoff game and lost 38-7. 

Then, in 2023, Lockport lost 34-27 to Homewood-Flossmoor at home in the final regular season game to once again finish 5-4 in the regular season. The Porters then traveled to once again face another 1-loss team, Maine South, and lost 35-0 in an opening round game. 

So yes, even if Lockport has already made the postseason, it's imperative that they win this weekend.  

That will be on the road, for only the third time this season, as the Porters travel to Neuqua Valley this Friday for not only the final game of the regular season, but their final game of the Southwest Valley Conference. The league, which formed last fall, will disband at the end of this season. 

The Wildcats (3-5, 2-4) already have more victories than they did last year. But they will miss the playoffs for the second straight year after qualifying in 18 of the previous 21 postseasons played. 

Still, of their five losses this season, four of those were by seven points or less. Included in that is last week's 24-21 loss to Sandburg in Orland Park.

The leaders for Neuqua include junior quarterback Drake Mennecke and senior running back Andy Barkley, who scored three touchdowns against Sandburg. On defense, senior captain Tommy Westrom leads the way at safety, and junior Ameer Beg doubles at outside linebacker and running back. Senior Michael Creedon is the kicker/punter.

"They are a good team," Czart said. "They can move the ball. score points, and defensively, they are capable. They play aggressively and play together."

But so have the Porters in their 4-game winning streak following a 1-3 start.

"Absolutely no one gave up on us in our room," Czart said. "We were on the brink of winning a couple of those games. We aren't going to quit.

'In this past week's game (a 34-21 home win over Metea Valley), we had guys like Khairi Sias and Mason Moore do a great job of blocking on the perimeter."

Sias, a junior, had 4 receptions for 61 yards, with a touchdown. Moore, a senior, had 1 reception for 4 yards, but it was on a fourth-and-four play as the Porters converted on 5-of-5 fourth downs. 

Senior Adam Kozak had a trio of receptions for 28 yards and a TD. But it was his 53-yard punt return for a touchdown with 30 seconds left in the first quarter that put Lockport up for good at 14-7. 

Brendan Mecher continued to be a multi-faceted threat as he was 8-of-15 passing for 106 yards and two scores, while adding 21 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown. Fellow senior, Chris Miller, added 20 carries for 84 yards and a TD. 

They all have to have similar performances this week for the Porters to close on a high note and get a better playoff seed.

This JV will play first before this week's game, with the varsity kickoff scheduled for 7 PM. But, much to Czart's disappointment, it looks like the weather will be the coldest of the season. The daytime high will be in the mid-50s, but dropping well into the 40s at night. But there is very little chance of rain. 

"The objective is for us to get better each week and to win the game," Czart said. "We've had such nice weather that we'd hate to call it quits early."

By Randy Whalen

Before the start of the football season, Lockport Township senior quarterback Brendan Mecher was asked, 'What is the goal for the team this season?'

"The main goal is to win football games," Mecher said. "I'd like to see us have a successful season, achieve a positive record, and make it into the playoffs. As an offense, we want to see each other grow and succeed, and push each other."

But when the Porters started the season, 1-3, things weren't looking too good.

Now they are all but assured of making the playoffs. 

Mecher threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another. Fellow senior Adam Kozak scored twice and Lockport won its fourth straight with a 34-21 victory over Metea Valley in a Southwest Valley Blue game on Friday evening, October 17, at Lockport.

The Porters (5-3, 4-2) missed the playoffs last year, but should qualify no matter what this season.

"It was a great win and it gets us a playoff bid after not making it last year," Mecher said. "It wasn't the prettiest game, but we'll learn from our mistakes and move on."

Thanks to a 29-yard punt return by Kozak, Lockport started its first drive at the Mustang 28. Eight plays later, Chris Miller scored on a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 7-0. The senior finished with 20 carries for 84 yards. 

But Metea Valley (2-6, 0-6) answered when Charlie Larson found Zoelen Terry with a screen pass, and the senior speedster turned it into a 53-yard touchdown to tie the score at 7-7 with 4:00 left in the opening quarter. 

"Never, there's no quit," Terry said. "They scored, and we had to do our thing to get a touchdown too."

It was one of a career-high three touchdown passes for Larson, a junior, who was 19-of-29 passing for 208 yards. Sophomore middle linebacker Tre Jordan had a pair of sacks for the Mustangs.

"It's been a whole different change, a whole new team," Larson said of the Mustangs doubling their win total from last season. "All you can do is ask for a fight, and that's what we did."

Yes, they did. But Kozak didn't listen to the assistant coaches on the sideline, and that proved to be a good thing. After a four-and-out, Metea Valley punted, and Kozak was just across midfield. With many coaches yelling "poison" as the ball bounced around, Kozak instead ignored them and returned the punt 53 yards for a touchdown. That put the Porters ahead for good at 14-7 with 30 seconds left in the first quarter. 

"I did hear them," Kozak smiled at the play. "But it took a perfect bounce to me. All the coaches had said during the week, 'Let's go get one.' They had confidence in me, and I had confidence in them. I just had great blocks and a great lane. God's great. 

"We're going to come into the playoffs rolling. The coaches trusted us to do a great job. We're going to keep it rolling, make a run, and it's going to be great."

Lockport coach George Czart did not yell 'poison' at Kozak.

"It took a hop and I thought he should 100 percent get it," Czart said of the punt. "I want him to scoop it and gobble those up. When the ball is in his hands, he's a dangerous weapon."

Mecher finished with 21 carries for 91 yards and completed 8-of-15 passes for 106 yards. He completed a 38-yard pass to junior wide receiver Khairi Sias down to the one. Mecher then plowed in from the one on the next play for a 21-7 lead. After an exchange of punts, Larson led the Mustangs downfield and fired a 19-yard touchdown pass to junior Marcus Stewart with 1:50 left in the first half.

The Porters missed a 32-yard field goal in the final seconds, and the score remained 21-14 at halftime.

It never got closer. Mecher capped a 13-play, 59-yard drive with a 4-yard pass to Kozak (3 receptions for 28 yards) with 1:11 left in the third quarter. Lockport converted two fourth-down plays in the drive and was 5-for-5 on fourth-down conversions in the game. 

"On the fourth down plays, our offense was rolling," Mecher said of going for it and converting those plays. "The coaches gave us the green light and trusted us to make plays." 

Sias, who had a trio of receptions for 61 yards and had a touchdown called back, caught a 14-yard TD pass with 8:23 to play to make it 34-14. Larson had one more touchdown pass as he found Stewart (4 receptions for 60 yards) on a final scoring play with 4:46 to play. 

Seniors Andre Labuda and Armando (AJ) Garcia, Jr. had interceptions for the Porters. Junior defensive end Darrell McCullough had a pair of sacks and numerous big tackles for Lockport. Seniors Colton Benaitis, Gordon Kairis, and Ethan Sydnor also had big tackles on defense. 

But after only allowing seven points in each of their last two games, Czart was upset that the Porters allowed three touchdown passes. 

"I'm not happy about those touchdown passes, but hats off to them," Czart said. "We knew their quarterback could throw it and run it."

Following Week 8 action, the Illinois High School Association website listed 28 probable Class 8A teams with at least a 5-3 record. Of those teams, 21 had at least six wins and had clinched a spot. There are 32 teams that make the postseason in each class. The Porters were No. 25 on the list of 5-3 Class 8A teams with 38 points and are in great shape to clinch a place as far as playoff points go. 

"I've been doing well after I switched positions from outside linebacker to defensive end," McCullough said. "It's just been the next play mentality. We might have a bad play, but we do well on the next play. 

"After three losses, we just try to pick our heads up and keep going. We just can't take any team lightly and have to finish strong."

By Randy Whalen

The Lockport Township football team knows one thing. A win and they're in the playoffs.

But the Porters also know they can't overlook an improved Meta Valley team this week.

"Absolutely," Lockport coach George Czart said. "We have to go a week at a time, and this is the most important game this week. 

Last week was also important, and was a big 28-7 victory at Sandburg. That moved the Porters to 4-3 overall and 3-2 in the Southwest Valley Blue. 

Brendan Mecher was the story on offense. The senior quarterback ran for four touchdowns and accounted for 226 (133 passing, 93 rushing) of the Porters' 309 total yards.  

The Eagles (5-2, 3-2) were limited to 199 total yards as the Lockport defense was once again big. Andre Labuda had an early interception to set up the first touchdown. Fellow senior linebacker Drew Silzer had a pair of sacks, and senior defensive lineman Corey Bass was also big as the Porters had their biggest win since opening the season with a 34-0 blanking of Plainfield North. 

Lockport had a ton of penalties, for over 100 yards, against the Eagles, but overcame them.

"With how sloppy we played, we still won by 21," Czart said. "This year, we're not giving up the big plays."

With this being a big game, the Porters hope that trend continues. Metea Valley (2-5, 0-5) won its first two games this season and has been competitive, coming off a 1-8 season last year. Last week, the Mustangs lost 28-21 at home to Naperville Central, which Lockport defeated 14-7 in overtime the week before.

In the loss to Naperville Central, senior Zoelen Terry scored on an end-around from 57 yards for the game's first touchdown. Junior quarterback Charlie Larson threw a 72-yard TD to senior CJ Jordan to make it 14-0. 

After a tie at 14-14, the Mustangs retook the lead at 21-14 on a touchdown run by junior Marquis Brown. But they gave up a late fourth quarter touchdown and fell in overtime. 

"They're competitive and their quarterback moves around well," Czart said of the Mustangs. "He throws to a lot of different guys. Their defense is aggressive. They vary their formations and can do a lot of things that can confuse you."

When the Porters were 1-3, they could have gotten down. But instead, they came back and won a pair of close games over the Naperville schools, and now the win streak is at three and hopefully more after this week.

"As the games have gone on, we see what has to be tweaked and have adjusted," Czart said. "We wouldn't let the guys hang their heads. You've got to go through the tough parts at some point, and now we're excited."

The forecast is calling for highs in the mid-70s during the day and falling into the 60s by game time. There's rain forecast for Saturday, and the hope is that it doesn't come early. 

This is the final of six scheduled home games for the Porters this season. While there is usually just a varsity-only game on Friday nights, this week will be different. Metea Valley doesn't have a sophomore team. So the Lockport freshman "A" team will face the Mustangs at 5 PM this week. So the varsity game is slated to start at 7:15 PM.

The sophomore team will play at Evanston at 10 AM on Saturday. That game will take place at Lazier Field, which is part of Evanston Township High School's Memorial Stadium complex.

"Being back home is great," Czart said of this week's varsity game. "We have a later start, but the freshman 'A' team gets to play, and I'm looking forward to that."
 

By Randy Whalen

Brendan Mecher just "took what they gave us."

The Lockport Township senior quarterback made sure he and his team did that. He ran for four touchdowns to help the Porters get their fourth win, and extend their winning streak to three in a 28-7 victory over Sandburg in a Southwest Valley Blue clash before a special First Responder Night crowd on Friday night in Orland Park. 

"I did not," Mecher said when asked if he envisioned scoring four rushing touchdowns. "I just always come out looking for the W and spreading the ball around to the guys. Just all thanks to our offensive line."

The line of seniors Jaylen Cox, Cole Callahan Sullivan, and Owen Wilczak. along with juniors Phillip Ponterio and Marcello Thomas, helped Mecher gain 93 yards on 21 carries and complete 9-of-18 passes for 135 yards. Senior running back Chris Miller added 14 carries for 57 yards as Lockport (4-3, 3-2) overcame a bevy of penalties. 

Sandburg (5-2, 3-2) lost its second straight game and gave up double digits in points for the second straight game after allowing only 33 points in its first five games.

But the Porters were ready from the start.

"Absolutely," Lockport coach George Czart said of his team being ready to extend its winning streak. "We've made a concerted effort to look at it one at a time and take a look at the game in front of us."

On the third play of the game, Lockport senior linebacker Andre Labuda intercepted a pass to set them up at the Sandburg 16. Five plays later, Mecher raced up the middle for his first score from 12 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 8:11 left in the opening quarter.

"The defense did a great job," Mecher said. "They made our offensive job easy for us."

The Porters put pressure on the whole game.

"We were running a blitz and sending six instead of our usual four," Labuda said of the team's scheme. "It all worked perfectly.

"On the interception, I was out on the running back, and he flared out. Then I saw two guys on their quarterback, and he threw it up, and I was able to grab it. I was thinking of scoring, but I tripped. It's a huge win. Brendan Mecher was awesome, and this win makes everyone better."

Two Porter penalties kept the next Sandburg drive alive. The Eagles took advantage as junior quarterback Sean Ruisz threw a perfect pass to senior wide receiver Malik Abedelal for a 33-yard touchdown. Senior Drew Drzonek added the extra point, and that tied the score at 7-7 with 4:15 left in the first quarter.

But Ruisz, who was 3-of-9 for 47 yards, left the game after a hit by senior linebacker Drew Silzer midway through the second quarter and didn't return. Senior Jeffery Bellik, who is normally a wide receiver and hadn't played quarterback the past two seasons, came in and finished out the game.

"Yeah, I got a few reps in practice," Bellik said. "It was unfortunate, but I hopped in there. I very much believed. These are my guys. I had played a little quarterback my freshman year, but not since. It was my first varsity game experience, but I'm always ready. I just came in to do the best I could, be an athlete, and make plays."

He did, completing 7-of-11 passes for 63 yards and adding 17 carries for 57 yards. But the Lockport defense kept him out of the end zone.

"It was great to win this week, everyone knew how big of a week it was, and everyone stepped up," Silzer said. "Our defense has gotten better every week, and we all have trust in each other."

The Porters trusted each other on their second touchdown. That happened right before Ruisz exited. Mecher had scored his second touchdown on a nifty move as he faked out a few defenders and scored on a nice 7-yard run as he dove to the left pylon on a fourth-and-two play. Senior Matt Blazewski added the extra point for a 14-7 lead with 7:34 left in the second quarter.

"It was fourth down, we believed we would get it, and the coaches believed," Mecher said of his second score. "I had to make a play and I did."

Czart trusted that his quarterback would. 

"Yes, Brendan is very impressive," Czart said. "He's our QB 1 and absolutely a good player. He's very exciting to watch. Once in a while, he gives you some heartburn, but he makes a very mundane play look incredible."

Lockport had an opportunity for more points at the end of the first half, driving from its 17 to a first down at the Eagle 12. Along the way, Mecher had a 24-yard TD run called back because of holding. That was one of 15 Porter penalties for 105 yards.

But Lockport used its timeouts in the drive. On the final play of the half, Mecher was sacked by senior defensive lineman Ugnius Zaukas, and the clock ran out. So it was still 14-7 at halftime. Junior wide receiver Lucas Matykiewicz recovered an onside kick for the Eagles to start the second half at midfield, but they couldn't gain a first down.

Silzer and fellow senior linebacker Nick Moerman had sacks. The Eagles drove to a first down at the Lockport 12 in the final minutes, but Bellik was sacked and fumbled. Junior linebacker Darrell McCullough recovered for the Porters, and they ran out the final 2:36 of the game.

The Porters outgained Sandburg 309-to-199 and had a time of possession advantage of 26:20-to-21:40.

"Our kids play very aggressively on defense and went to the ball," Czart said. "Sandburg can be very explosive, and our defense was prepared for all the things they do."

Mecher capped a 13-play, 69-yard drive that took 5:59 off the clock, and scored on a 6-yard run with 3:41 to play in the third quarter for a 21-7 advantage. He capped off the scoring on a 7-yard scamper with 10:54 to play in the game. 

On the final touchdown drive, senior Colton Benaitis (2 receptions for 55 yards) caught a 45-yard pass to set Lockport up at the Eagles' 9. Adam Kozak led Lockport with four receptions for 52 yards. Fellow senior wide receiver David Kundrat, who missed the better part of a month with a concussion, didn't have a catch. But he had a couple of great blocks. 

All in all, it added up to a big win as the Porters matched their victory total from last year and moved a win away from becoming playoff eligible.

"I just saw the lanes and took what they gave us," Mecher said. "This was a big win and huge for our morale."
 

By Randy Whalen

Last season's Lockport Township football schedule had an abnormality. 

The was no game against Sandburg. 

But there is this Friday. This season, the Eagles are back, in more ways than one. Not only are they back on the schedule, but they are also back among the prominent teams in the area, boasting a 5-1 overall record, including a 3-1 mark in the Southwest Valley Blue Division. 

"Yes, playing Sandburg, it's always a good game," Lockport coach George Czart said. "We have a lot of history going back with them."

Yes, due to the proximity of Sandburg to Homer Glen, the two teams have become big rivals over the last few decades. When the Porters won the 2021 Class 8A State Championship, they had a 42-0 Week 6 victory in Orland Park. 

But in the next two meetings, Sandburg got the victory. Those were a 34-3 at Lockport in 2022 and 30-28, when the Porters had a last-second field goal blocked, in Orland Park in 2023.

The Eagles have qualified for the playoffs the past two seasons and three of the past four. They are playoff eligible now, having won their first five games this season, which was the first time that's happened since 1998. 

However, they are coming off a 36-35 overtime loss to host Naperville North last week. That was the first time they allowed more than nine points all season. They won a Week 3 road game 5-3 against Naperville Central. In fact, the 36 points were more than Sandburg had given up in the first five games (33) combined.

Naperville North (3-3, 2-2) was coming off a 20-17 loss to the Porters in the fifth week.  

It's hard to do score comparisons," Czart said. "It has more to do with matchups."

Lockport (3-3, 2-2) hopes the matchup is in its favor. In a 14-7 overtime Homecoming win over Naperville Central last week, senior running back Chris Miller ran for 165 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning one in overtime. Senior linebackers Nick Moerman and Drew Silzer, along with senior defensive lineman Ethan Sydnor, were big on defense.

So was Colton Benaitis, who did just about everything out there. He ran the ball, caught a trio of passes, threw a pass, and played great defense as a linebacker/safety. 

"Yeah, he was everywhere," Czart said of Benaitis. "Colton will have his hands full this week, but he's absolutely up to it." 

Sean Ruisz has been great at quarterback for the Eagles. Fellow juniors Quinn Durkin and Lucas Matykiewicz have been outstanding at wide receiver, and senior running back Luke Basiorka is a threat. So is senior kicker, Drew Drzonek. Sheamus Murphy, a Sandburg graduate, is back at the school as a first-year head coach.

"It starts with their quarterback," Czart said of the Eagles. "They have good receivers, a solid offensive line, and good coaching. They mix it up and play defense really well. When they get on a roll, they make things happen." 

Czart knows that the Porters can't afford mistakes like they have made this season. Last week, they had a pair of red zone trips come up empty.

"Yes, that's been our MO," he said of the mistakes. "I don't want to get used to it, and to win, we will have to play exceptionally on both sides of the ball."

It's a later scheduled kickoff of 7:30 for the varsity game this week. There is a sophomore game first, and that's at 5 PM. After an unseasonably warm start to the fall, cooler temperatures are predicted for Friday. With a high in the upper 60s and falling into the 50s later at night.

But the Porters know that no matter what the weather, they have to win two of their last three games to become playoff eligible.

"This is the one we play this week," Czart said of facing Sandburg. "This is the one we have to get."

By Randy Whalen

"Whew, it was a big exhale."

Yes, it was, and Lockport football coach George Czart conveyed that with the above statement following last Friday's game.

That was a heart-pounding 14-7 Porter overtime victory over Naperville Central before a huge Homecoming crowd on Friday night, October 3, at Lockport. 

While it wasn't always pretty, it was a huge game for both teams. In the end, the M&M&M brothers came through when it mattered most for Lockport.

In overtime, Brendan Mecher took the ball to the one. Then, on fourth down, Chris Miller scored what proved to be the winning touchdown, and fellow senior Nick Moerman had a huge sack as the Porters prevailed.

With three games to go, the win moves Lockport (3-3, 2-2) back to .500 in the rugged Southwest Valley Blue. The loss all but eliminates the Redhawks (1-5, 1-3) from postseason play. 

"This was a big game and a big win," Miller said. "The defense did the job, and we fought hard."

Both teams scored touchdowns in the final minute of the first half for the only scores in regulation. They both lamented missed opportunities throughout as the game went into overtime, knotted at 7-7.  

Lockport got the ball first, and Miller was stopped for no gain on first down. But Mecher mowed through for runs of six and three yards and moved to a fourth down at the one. What to do?

"I said go for the score," Miller said. "The team trusted me, and I trusted my offensive line. I knew I'd pick up one yard there,"

He did, bursting in behind the blocks of seniors Jaylen Cox, Cole Callahan Sullivan, and Owen Wilczak. along with juniors Phillip Ponterio, Joey Siadak, and Marcello Thomas, for his second touchdown of the game. Miller finished with 25 carries for 165 yards. 

Czart trusted Miller, too. But nearly decided to kick a field goal in overtime.

"I actually called for a field goal at first," he said. "I thought we were a little further out, at the two or so. But our offensive guys told me we could score from the one. I'm glad they did. Chris Miller is awesome, and in the end, Moerman was big. We like bringing him off the edge. He's got speed and he's tough."

So was the entire Porter defense, which only allowed 226 yards. Naperville Central still had an opportunity to tie or win the game. But on third down from the eight, junior quarterback Jackson Loth was sacked by Moerman, a linebacker, who was everywhere and had an interception earlier in the game, for a 9-yard loss. 

"It was a last-second change," Moerman said of him rushing the quarterback. "I was supposed to drop in coverage, but we decided to have Colton Benaitis back in coverage instead. We love having him back, and that allowed me to come in on the edge. I knew I had to get it done."

He did, and an illegal substitution penalty moved the ball back to the 22. From there, it looked like the Refhawks had found a fourth down miracle as Loth, who was 18-for-27 for 168 yards and a touchdown, fired a pass into the endzone. The ball was deflected two or three times, and then senior wide receiver Vince Bern grabbed it just before it hit the ground for an apparent touchdown. 

However, Naperville Central was flagged for having an illegal man downfield, nullifying the score. The next pass attempt, now from the 27, fell incomplete, as Benaitis broke it up and the Porters pranced off the field victorious in a happy Homecoming. 

"It felt awesome to bat that final pass down," Benaitis said. "I just trusted my training and went for the ball. It was a great feeling to win, and now we are on a 2-game win streak going into Sandburg. That should be a great game."

The loss was a tough one for the Redhawks. After making the Class 8A State Semifinals last year, they would need to win out and be fortunate enough for not enough teams to finish with a winning record to qualify for the playoffs with four victories.

"We played so hard, we did everything but put the ball in the end zone," Naperville Central coach Mike Ulreich said. "Our time together is still going, and we told the kids the reputation of our program is on the line. We have to put the ball in the end zone and finish strong. 

"We have a bunch of young guys and we have to get better every week."

Lockport missed a pair of field goals by senior Matt Blazewski in the first half. The first one, from 26 yards, was blocked by senior Paul Peradotti midway through the first quarter. The second one, a 47-yard attempt midway through the second quarter, was about five yards short.

But the Porters finally scored when Miller plowed in from 15 yards out with 50.9 seconds left in the first half. That capped a 74-yard drive, which opened with a 25-yard run by Miller. Mecher was also big on the march with a trio of carries for 14 yards and completed his lone pass, a 17-yarder to fellow senior Adam Kozak. 

Mecher finished 11-of-16 for 93 yards passing and added 19 carries for 78 yards. The Porters had 338 yards in total offense and have outgained five of their six opponents this season.

However, thanks to a 42-yard pass from Loth to junior Kyle Clark on third down, Naperville Central moved downfield and scored when Loth found Bern in the left corner of the end zone with 4.5 seconds left in the first half to tie it at 7-7.

Late in the third quarter, Lockport put together a nice 14-play drive and reached the Redhawk 15. But a fumbled snap on a third-and-two play was recovered by Naperville Central sophomore linebacker Landen Goebel.

"It's been the same stuff, over and over," Czart said of the Porters making turnovers. "I don't know when we will stop doing it. But we overcame our own ineptitude at times to get the win. Except for Lincoln-Way East, any game could have gone either way this season, and we'll take it."

With about four minutes to play in the game, junior running back Landon Nelson (28 carries for 83 yards) had an apparent 40-yard touchdown run for the Redhawks. But it was called back because of holding, and they punted.

There was one more chance for the Redhawks in the final seconds. Following a short punt, they faced a fourth-and-one at the Lockport 32 and decided to attempt a 49-yard field goal. But senior Gavin Ellison saw his attempt go wide left by a good margin with 10.1 seconds to play, and the game went into overtime.

"That was not the cleanest game," Moerman said. "We should have been up 7-0 at halftime, and coach Czart let us have it. But it's still a huge win. We've got some momentum now, and this was huge for us."

By Randy Whalen

Homecoming.

It's always a special football game on the schedule. This Friday is Lockport Township's Homecoming game as the Porters host Naperville Central in a Southwest Valley Conference Blue Division matchup.

While the festivities are always neat during the week and on Friday, there's still one big thing.

The game.

Thanks to the Porters' exciting 20-17 victory over Naperville North last Friday, this is a key one. With a win, Lockport (2-3, 1-2) is back to .500 with three games to go. A loss would mean the team would be 2-4 and have to win all three remaining games to qualify for the postseason.

So this is key.

"Yes, we needed it," Lockport coach George Czart said of last week's win. "It was a physical game and we kept on picking ourselves up off the deck."

Colton Benaitis returned to the lineup after missing the first month with a broken collarbone and was big all over the field. He had nine tackles and the game-winning 60-yard touchdown reception from fellow senior Brendan Mecher midway through the fourth quarter. 

"We can use Colton on both sides of the ball," Czart said. "We don't want to overuse him, but he can help get a victory for us."

Defensively, senior linebackers Nick Moerman and Drew Silzer were everywhere. So were defensive linemen, junior Cornell Bass and Ethan Sydnor. 

On the other side, Naperville Central (1-4, 1-2) is fighting for its playoff life after making the Class 8A state semifinals and going 11-2 last year. The Redhawks are led by senior running back Finn Schultz and junior Jackson Loth at quarterback.

Loth threw three TDs to lead Naperville Central to its lone win so far, 24-17 on September 19 over Neuqua Valley. But last week, Naperville Central lost at home, 44-7 to Lincoln-Way East. The Redhawks also lost their conference opener, on September 12, at home by the strange score of 5-3 against Sandburg. 

"They've got a nice, defensive team," Czart said of the Redhawks. "Their defensive line is good, and they move the ball. They have some young guys. But we mentioned in our meeting that they will be out to get a win and keep their season alive. They're a good team."

So are the Porters, who lost 21-14 in the final seconds in the second week to undefeated Lincoln-Way West, and scored as many points in a 49-14 loss to Lincoln-Way East as the Griffins have allowed in their other four games all season. 

While Benaitis is back, senior tight end Dewatha Malone is out for the season with a torn meniscus. However, the Porter's mission remains the same: to secure a significant victory, especially on Homecoming.

The forecast is calling for unseasonably high temperatures, reaching nearly 90 degrees during the day. It will be a little cooler for the 6:15 varsity only kickoff, but very little chance of rain. 

"It's Homecoming, but we have to be focused," Czart said. "A lot is going on, and we want the kids to enjoy it. We have great school spirit and support.

"But we need to take care of business and win that game."
 

By Randy Whalen

Colton Benaitis had sat out for the first four weeks of the season to heal a broken collarbone. So this past week, when Benaitis returned to the Lockport Township football lineup, what was his first thought?

"I wanted to hit someone really bad," Benaitis said. 

Instead, it was Benaitis who got hit, with the winning touchdown pass. 

The senior, who doubles at safety/linebacker on defense and wide receiver on offense, streaked down the right side and hauled in a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Brendan Mecher with 5:17 to play in the game. That proved to be the winning score as the Porters got a huge 20-17 win over Naperville North on Friday, September 26, in a Southwest Valley Blue Division game before a large homecoming crowd in Naperville. 

It was the first win for Lockport (2-3, 1-2) since the opening 34-0 victory over Plainfield North. The Huskies (2-3, 1-2) lost for the second straight week and still have undefeated Sandburg and Lincoln-Way East on their schedule. 

"A lot of good things happened in this game," Lockport coach George Czart said. "We've had other close games, but this time we got the winning score."

Yes, the Porters did, as the long TD pass came less than a minute after Naperville North took a 17-13 lead when senior quarterback Josiah Nothacker zipped a 38-yard touchdown pass to junior Jack Zitko on a fourth-and-6 play with 6:03 to play in the game. That capped a 9-play drive that started at Huskie 10, following a penalty.  

So, midway through the fourth quarter, Lockport trailed and was staring at a 1-4 record. But it didn't happen. A touchback gave the Porters the ball at their own 20. Senior running back Chris Millar gained 5 yards on first down, and a personal foul penalty moved the ball to the 40.

From there, the offensive line did a great job in giving Mecher time, and Benaitis streaked down the right side. Mecher's pass perfectly fell into place, and as Benaitis reached out, grabbed it, pushed off the defender, and continued down the sideline to the endzone. 

"It was a wheel route to me down the sideline," Benaitis said. "That was Coach (Kris) Norton calling the play, and he's very smart. When opportunity meets preparation, success happens.

"I felt it, I knew what I had to do. Out there on the field, it's whoever wants it more."

That was Benaitis, who had six interceptions last season and has committed to play Division 1 football at Central Michigan University. He broke his collarbone playing in a 7-on-7 football tournament at the end of June, and he had planned for this moment ever since.

"I mean, a week after I broke it, I was out on the field running around," Benaitis said. "I was excited and couldn't sleep. So (Wednesday) night, I was up until 3:23 watching film and getting excited. It was great to be back out there with my boys."

Mecher, who was 11-of-16 for 215 yards and added nine carries for 36 yards, was excited to have another go-to guy on offense.

"Yes, having Colton back is awesome," the senior quarterback said. "He’s a great player on both sides of the ball, and he took that wheel route. I just knew he was beating him, and he came up with a great catch for the TD."

Senior Matt Blazewski, who missed the previous game, added the extra point as the ball appeared to be tipped but made it over the crossbar for a 3-point lead with still over five minutes left in the game.

But the Porters' defense came up big as they forced two straight incompletions, including junior defensive back Jake Manzo batting down a pass for a turnover on downs at the Naperville North 48 with 1:43 to play. 

Senior running back Chris Miller, who had 20 carries for 78 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, ran three straight times for nine yards, but came up a yard short on third down, so Lockport decided to punt.

That worked as the strategy paid off with the Huskies taking over at their own 15 with 34 seconds to play and no timeouts. Nothacker, who was 19-for-29 for 236 yards and a TD, scambled for 13 yards on first down. He then completed 4-of-6 more passes to the sideline for 34 yards. 

The last pass was a 5-yard one to the Lockport 38 with just one second to play. Naperville North senior Leo Taylor then trotted out to attempt a 55-yard field goal. But the kick was at least 5 yards short and also looked wide right, and the Porters celebrated a much-needed win.

"It just feels awesome, especially after the last three losses," Miller said. "Colton is our D-1 player and got the huge TD on a bomb, and he plays both ways. (After not making the first down at the end) I knew the defense had my back. They picked me up, and I'm glad for them doing the job."

The game ended on a missed field goal, and the Huskies' first possession ended on a missed field goal. Following a Lockport offside penalty, they had a first-and-5 at the Lockport 10. But thanks in part to one of Benaitis' nine tackles, this one for a 2-yard loss, the Huskies didn't gain any yards, and Taylor attempted a 28-yard field goal. 

However, the timing was off, and Taylor's attempt went through but didn't get off the ground, keeping the game scoreless.

Benaitis had a 19-yard run on the Porters' opening play from scrimmage in the game. While they had to punt soon after that, it got him involved in the game. 

"I don't think anyone expected that," Benaitis said of his opening run. But I knew it was coming."

Taylor didn't miss his next field goal attempt for the Huskies, however. Lockport fumbled a punt return midway through the first quarter, and junior Brady Marino recovered it at the Porters' 38. Naperville North converted a fourth down and eventually moved to a first-and-goal at the 3. But big tackles by junior defensive end Cornell Bass, as well as senior linebackers Nick Moerman and Drew Silzer, forced a 28-yard field goal attempt, which Taylor converted on the first play of the second quarter.

Lockport responded with a great drive, going 80 yards in nine plays, including a 36-yard catch by junior wide receiver Khairi Sias (2 receptions for 63 yards) down to the 19. Three plays later, Miller plowed in from 7 yards out. The extra point kick went wide left, but the Porters led 6-3 with 8:02 left in the first half. The score held up at halftime.

To open the second half, the Porters got the ball and were boosted by a 31-yard catch from senior Adam Kozak (4 receptions for 55 yards) on the first play. But, after reaching the Naperville North 20, they fumbled the ball on a first-and-10 play, and Will Wagoner recovered for the Huskies at his own 27.

A 41-yard pass from Nothacker to Zitko moved Naperville North to the five. A couple of plays later, senior running back William Eloe scored from 2 yards out for a 10-6 lead with 5:47 left in the third quarter. 

The Porters then put together an awesome drive to retake the lead. Starting at their own 20, they were whistled for holding and began with a first-and-20 at their own 10. In a drive that officially covered 80 yards, but really 90, after one of the two penalties on the Porters, they took 16 plays and took 8 minutes: 9 seconds off the clock to score on a 3-yard run by Miller on fourth-and-one with 9:38 to play in the game.

There was a trio of third-down conversions on the drive, including a 14-yard strike to senior tight end Mason Moore (2 receptions for 22 yards) and a 12-yard pass to Kozak on third-and-eight. Plus, Mecher scrambled 11 yards to the three on a third-and-12 play to set up Miller's second touchdown.

"The mentality for that 16-play drive was it’s just about doing our 1/11 and executing properly, and that will be the result," Mecher said. "The win was very big because it will keep our momentum going in these next couple of weeks."

Naperville North responded with the TD pass from Nothacker to Zitko, setting the stage for Benaitis' game-winner.

The total yardage in the game was nearly identical, with Lockport having 354 yards and the Huskies finishing with 351 yards. 

Silzer had a pair of sacks, and the Porters stopped a pair of fourth-down attempts.

"Drew had a great game, and all our linebackers did well, Czart said. "But having Colton, he's a 2-way threat for us, and you can't have him on the bench for too long. He's such a physical player, and no one was going to catch him on the touchdown pass.  

"We played well enough to win, and it was a team victory."

By Randy Whalen

"The Road Warriors."

During its Class 8A State Title season of 2021, the Lockport Township football team had four of its first five games on the road, and, including the playoffs, had eight games away from home. 

The Porters won them all, earning a nickname of "The Road Warriors" from coach George Czart. 

Well, this weekend, for the first time all season, Lockport is heading on the road. The Porters will travel to Naperville North this Friday in a Southwest Valley matchup as the Huskies host their Homecoming Game in what both teams are looking at as a must-win.

"It's our first away game this year and we have to get a victory," Czart said of this Friday. "That's what we have to get. We've got to make sure we are building from the first four games."

Lockport (1-3, 0-2) fell 49-14 to Lincoln-Way East this past week. Naperville North (2-2, 1-1) lost 24-10 at Homewood-Flossmoor. In that game, Senior Leo Taylor had a field goal to put the Huskies on the board as the half ended. Then they tied it up off senior Josiah Nothracker’s pass to junior Jack Zitko. But H-F, which defeated the Porters 28-13 the week before, registered the final two touchdowns. 

William Eloe, a senior running back, has 372 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the season. Junior defensive lineman Gianni Fonash and senior linebacker Drew Murphy have been among the defensive standouts for Naperville North.

The Huskies know that they will face Lincoln-Way East at home on Friday, October 17, and that will be very tough to win. So, to finish with five wins and be playoff eligible, both they and the Porters can only stumble one more time.

While Lockport scored double the number of points that Lincoln-Way East had given up going into last week's game, the two touchdowns came on kickoff returns. Those were a 92-yard one by Dewatha Malone and a 90-yard one from fellow senior Adam Kozak. 

But Malone suffered a knee injury in the second quarter and will miss this week's game. Kozak is the leading wide receiver for the Porters. But last week, Lockport was outgained 526-97, after outgaining its opponents in the first three games.

"There is a whole different preparation this week," Czart said. " Last week, we had to prepare for a D1 quarterback, who was surrounded by other D1 guys. 

"But we're going to look for positives. Other than Malone being out, our offense should be OK."

Naperville North lost 20-14 at home against New Trier to start the season. Then, the Huskies had a 21-14 road win against Libertyville and a 35-14 home Southwest Valley victory over Metea Valley before losing last week.

"Last year, Naperville North was an excellent offensive team with a very good quarterback," Czart said. "This year, they have been more of a running team. But no matter what, we have to get a positive matchup."

What will help the Porter defense is the return of senior safety Colton Benaitis. He missed the first four games with a broken collarbone, but was the team's leading defender with interceptions last year, so having him back in the secondary is huge.

"Yes, Colton is back and we're looking forward to it," Czart said. "We will have a different preparation on the road this week, with a fragmented pregame, but that's OK."

Other than some rain right before halftime in last week's game, the weather this season has been outstanding. That is expected to continue this Friday, as the high during the day is expected to be around 80 with sunny skies. It will be cooler in the evening, but still perfect for a game, which marks the midway point of the regular season.

The sophomore game is scheduled for 4:30, while the varsity kickoff should be around 7 PM. 

"The kickoff returns were very exciting," Czart said of last Friday. "But we have to make plays and not shoot ourselves in the foot. We can't turn the ball over, and we have to step it up."

By Randy Whalen

Dewatha Malone was ready. Coming into this season, the Lockport Township senior hadn't run the ball in high school. But this fall, he's had some big receptions as he transitioned from defense to being a running back/tight end. 

So when he was back to receive the kickoff following an opening score by Lincoln-Way East, Malone was ready. He took the kick, flew up the left side, broke a pair of tackles, and then shook off another one. With only the punter to beat, Malone made a nifty move, and he was gone to daylight as he completed a 92-yard touchdown run.

With the Porter faithful going crazy, the game was tied at 7-7 as Lockport became the first team this season to score a first half TD against the Griffins. Adam Kozak added a kickoff return touchdown of his own as the Porters scored double the amount of points Lincoln-Way East had allowed so far in the season, coming into the game. 

"It was exciting to go out and set the tone," Malone said. "(Assistant) Coach (Kris) Norton told me to go out and be a dog. It was just an adrenaline rush, especially since I hadn't run the ball since eighth grade, coming into this season. 

"Confidence is key. It felt amazing just to know that I could lift the team up and get us off to a good start."

But after the game, Malone was on crutches as he suffered a left knee injury following a 7-yard run late in the second quarter. He hoped it was just sprained, but his condition won't be updated until before this week's game at Naperville North.  

Lockport coach George Czart certainly appreciated what Malone has done.

"He was a defensive lineman for us, but he cut weight and converted to a tight end/running back," Czart said of Malone. "You could feel the energy level rise there, but unfortunately, that can be short-lived."

It was as the Griffins came right back and scored on their ensuing play from scrimmage, a 47-yard TD pass from Jonas Williams to sophomore wide receiver Jack Murphy to go ahead for good at 14-7 with 8:18 left in the opening quarter.

That was his second touchdown pass of the day as Lincoln-Way East went on to topple the Porters 49-14 on Friday, September 19, in a Southwest Valley Conference game at Lockport.

It was also one of five touchdown passes for the amazing senior, who played his first two seasons at Bolingbrook before transferring to Lincoln-Way East last year. Williams, who will attend USC next year, completed 28 of 35 passes for 345 yards as the Griffins (4-0, 2-0) remained undefeated. 

In the process, he moved closer to a new Illinois High School Association state record for career TD passes. He now has 125. Jordan Roberts, from  Aurora Christian (between 2005-08), and Tyler Hutchinson, from Greenville (between 2012-14), both had 127. 

"It felt like a full circle moment,” Williams said of approaching the record. “You come into high school with all of these goals and dreams. Every day, it just becomes more of a reality.”

Unfortunately for the Porters (1-3, 0-2), it came against them. Williams started the scoring by tossing a 1-yard TD pass to Blaise LaVista with 8:51 left in the first quarter. His others were 34 yards to junior Jayden Cawthon with 5:10 to play in the second quarter, 35 yards to senior William Schlinger with 1:12 to go in the second quarter, and 13 yards to LaVista on the first play of the fourth quarter.

"I haven't seen anyone better than him," Czart said of Williams.

Senior running back Brody Grish (18 carries for 110 yards) added touchdown runs of one yard on the second play of the second quarter, and a 2-yard run with 2:47 left in the third quarter. 

Kozak, a senior who is the leading wide receiver for the Porters, returned the opening second-half kickoff for a 90-yard touchdown. Junior Zane Szynkowski, who was filling in for injured senior Matt Blazewski, added the extra point, and it was 35-14, 14 seconds into the third quarter. 

"The blocks were just there," Kozak said of his kickoff scoring scamper. (Assistant) Coach (Mark) Carmen ran it all week in practice. Our kickoff is back, and it's a threat for us to score.  

"We just need a team effort next week (at Naperville North). I'm not worried. We're going to get better and just step up."

It was the second TD kickoff return against the Griffins by Kozak in the past two years. He returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown in a 47-14 loss on October 11 last season in Frankfort.

The Lockport kickoff return certainly affected the Griffins as they decided to kick short on their pair of kickoffs after Kozak's return last Friday.

"That's Coach Carmen," Czart verified. "He does a great job with our kickoff return. Kozak is a great player. and we've had three of those for TDs against them in the past two seasons."

Despite being outgained 526-to-97, there were positives for the Porters. Mecher (4-of-8, 17 yards, 19 carries for 31 yards) had a 40-yard scramble early in the second quarter. But he was stopped a yard short on a fourth-and-four run at the Lincoln-Way East 28. 

The Porter defense also forced a punt midway in the second quarter and a turnover on downs on Lincoln-Way East's first possession of the third quarter. They also forced a pair of turnovers. The first was a fumble forced by senior defensive back AJ Garcia and recovered by senior linebacker Nick Moerman midway through the first quarter. Moerman also recovered a fumble, which was forced by senior defensive back Cody Pass, on the first play of the fourth quarter.

"We were our own worst enemy, with penalties, bad snaps, and things," Czart said. "I see our guys not giving up. We're not backing down. We just have to string together some good plays in a row,"
 

By Randy Whalen

It's Lincoln-Way East week. 

Coming off a frustrating 28-13 loss to Homewood-Flossmoor last week, the Lockport Township football team faces the daunting task of facing one of, if not the top, team in the state. 

Yes, that's the Griffins, who stroll into Lockport this week in a familiar spot. Undefeated and one of the top-ranked teams in Illinois.

While Lincoln-Way East (3-0, 1-0) currently is ranked No. 2 behind Mount Carmel in the latest Class 8A AP poll, no team has been more dominant so far this season. The Griffins shut out Maine South 40-0 and Kankakee 41-0 to start the season. Last week, they won the Southwest Valley opener 56-7 over Neuqua Valley. So they have outscored their opponents 137-7. 

So how do the Porters (1-2, 0-1) prepare for this one?

"We are going to prepare like it's a championship game," Lockport coach George Czart said. "Like any other week, we are going to do what we do to try to get better. That challenge is magnified by playing Lincoln-Way East."

Yes, it is. Especially with quarterback Jonas Williams, who is nearing the state records for career passing yards and passing TDs, and is committed to USC. 

Senior running back Brody Gish can also run over people. Blaise LaVista, a Libertyville transfer, along with fellow senior Matt Orban, are key wide receivers. Junior Mason Halliman and senior Brenden Rempert are big members of the offensive line. 

On defense, the Griffins scored a pair of touchdowns in the opening two weeks. Jacob Onik returned an interception for a score against Maine South, one of four interceptions by them in the game, and fellow junior Aidan Cavanaugh recovered a bad punt snap in the end zone against Kankakee.

Junior Charlie Palmer and senior Kelvin Hayden are also looked at as defensive backs. Senior Gage Ladere is an anchor on the defensive line.

Of course, there's talent, but there's more than that. So what makes Lincoln-Way East so good?

"Looking from the outside, they don't make mistakes," Czart said. "Their kids play hard, are disciplined, fundamentally sound, and do what they are supposed to do.

"They are well coached, have great players, and their turnovers are few and far between. All their facets, including special teams, are always executing." 

Last year, the Griffins won their 16th league title since the SouthWest Suburban Conference formed in the fall of 2005 and finished 12-1, losing to Loyola in a Class 8A semifinal. 

Since 2017, the Griffins have gone 96-7 (through last week), including winning undefeated Class 8A state titles in 2017 and 2019 and finishing second in 2022 and 2023. They have made the postseason every season since being their own school in 2001, have a current record of 247-45, have captured three Class 8A State Championships (2005, 2017, 2019), and finished second three times (2012 in Class 7A, 2022, and 2023 in Class 8A). 

The Lincoln-Way East winning percentage is .846, easily the best in state history, with teams that have played 250 games or more. That includes a .880 winning percentage (22-3) over the Porters with a 21-game winning streak, which started with a 14-6 victory in the opening round of the 2004 Class 8A playoffs. The Griffins handed Lockport its only loss in the 2021 Class 8A championship season, winning 12-10 on Oct. 15 in Lockport.

The Porters will need a huge game to pull off an upset, which they nearly did back on September 19, 2014, losing 28-25 at home to a Lincoln-Way East team that eventually finished 10-2. This week's game will be exactly 11 years after that. 

In last week's loss, Lockport actually outgained the Vikings 328-322 yards. But only scored one touchdown, while H-F had four. 

Brendan Mecher threw for 177 yards, with seniors Adam Kozak and Dewatha Malone combining for nine receptions for 111 yards, and junior Khairi Sias hauling in a 56-yard touchdown pass. Senior Chris Miller added 18 carries for 90 yards.

On defense, seniors Andre Labuda and Drew Silzer will have to be big, as will junior defensive end Cornell Bass and senior nose tackle Michael Pratt. 

"We had our chances to win that game or at least make it more competitive," Czart said of the H-F loss. "They had the big plays and didn't have the big mistakes at crucial times like we did."

This is the last of four straight home games to start the season. An earlier forecast of rain has been taken out. It's supposed to be partly cloudy and in the mid-80s during the day, with light winds. So, a beautiful evening, as the kickoff for the varsity-only game is scheduled for 6:15 PM.

"I love playing at home," Czart said. "I'm just disappointed that we haven't brought our fans more to cheer about. We just have to take advantage of our trips down in the red zone."
 

By Randy Whalen

Khairi Sias was excited.

He and the Lockport Township football team should have been. 

The Porter junior wide receiver hauled in the prettiest pass of the night from Brendan Mecher as the Porters scored on a 56-yard touchdown on the final play of the third quarter.

It sparked the Lockport offense, which had struggled to reach the end zone in the first half, and brought them back within eight points with an entire quarter to go. However, unfortunately, that was the only and final touchdown for them, as Homewood-Flossmoor used big plays to score four touchdowns in a 28-13 win on Friday night, September 12, at Lockport. 

It was the Southwest Valley Blue opener for both teams. It was also the second straight loss for the Porters (1-2, 0-1). H-F (2-1, 1-0) rebounded from a loss last week behind a great day from senior wide receiver/defensive back Myles Ellis and avenged a high-scoring loss to Lockport last season.

"Yes, we were back in the game," Czart said of the third quarter TD. "We were looking for that earlier, too."

But they just couldn't connect much of the night. In the meantime, H-F did. After Lockport scored the TD, the Vikings took over at their own 27. They proceeded to go 73 yards in five plays and score on a 34-yard pass from junior quarterback Rahsaan Coleman to Ellis with 10:04 to play in the game. That held up as the final score.

Four of those plays were completions from Coleman (11-of-18, 211 yards) to Ellis (6 receptions for 157 yards).  

It took away all the momentum the Porters gained on the previous touchdown pass. But it didn't take away that feeling of hope they had when the arching ball floated down perfectly into Sias' arms on the final play of the third quarter on a possession that lasted exactly 3.3 seconds following an H-F punt. 

"We needed that, so I had to get it done," Sias said of his TD catch. "It was a beautiful ball. The safety fell down, and I had to go get it. The feeling was we needed that, and I 100 percent trust my team."

That was a big play for Lockport, but unfortunately, the Vikings made many. They had four plays of 12 yards or more in the opening drive of the game, and scored when sophomore running back Layden Williams (23 carries for 86 yards, 2 TDs) scored on a 5-yard burst to make it 7-0 with 8:16 left in the first quarter.

Behind a 25-yard run by Mecher, the Porters got to the H-F 29. But they moved backward a yard and went to try a 47-yard field goal. But the snap was bad, and they ended up with a 7-yard loss instead. 

After an exchange of punts, H-F got the ball back near midfield and had gains of 11 and 14 yards. But on the second play, a 14-yard run by Williams, he was hit by junior running back Darrell McCullough and fumbled. Senior linebacker Andre Labuda recovered with exactly a minute left in the opening quarter.  

"That felt good," Labuda said of recovering the fumble. "We just had to do more of that.

"It's a heartbreaking loss. We had high hopes, and we just have to be better. We just have to tackle better and do the things we can do right. It's on us. We just have to practice well, get in a good mindset, and play our game."

Labuda's fumble recovery set up a nice drive. Mecher (12-of-24, 177 yards, 1 TD, 2 INT) completed an 18-yard pass to fellow senior Adam Kozak (5 receptions for 47 yards), and senior running back Chris Miller (18 carries for 90 yards) scrambled 16 yards to the H-F four. But the Porters couldn't punch it in and had to settle for a 22-yard field goal by senior Matt Blazewski with 8:27 left in the second quarter.

Lockport's defense tightened and forced another punt. The Porters then drove to a third-and-10 at the H-F 18, but Ellis intercepted a pass and set the Vikings up at their own 20.

Two plays later, Ellis was making a play again as he hauled in a pass from Coleman and darted and dashed for a 78-yard touchdown, and it was 14-3 with 1:39 to play in the first half. 

"We knew how good an athlete he was, and we had a guy on him," Czart said of Ellis. "It worked most of the first half, but they found a way to get him the ball, and he zigged and zagged all over on that play. We didn't have an answer for their speed, and we had to settle for field goals."

That's what the Porters did on the ensuing drive. Mecher did great in completing his first five passes of the drive, including one of 32 yards to senior right end Dewatha Malone (4 catches for 63 yards). A pass interference call moved the ball to the H-F five, but Lockport was running out of time and had to settle for a 23-yard field goal for Blazewski as the first half ended to make it 14-6.

Lockport had won the coin flip to start the game and deferred. So the Porters got the ball to open the second half at their own 35, and Miller gained nine yards on the first play. But, in a recurring theme, they often had second or third and short and couldn't gain a first down, and were forced to punt. 

After a Viking punt, Lockport attained one first down before Ellis grabbed another interception, and H-F took over at the Porter 32. After converting a 4th-and-3 play on a 5-yard run by Williams, Myles, who also punts and holds on extra point kicks. hauled in a 15-yard pass for a first and goal at the five. Two plays later, Williams scored again from the two, and it was 21-6 with 3:43 left in the third quarter. 

Sias' touchdown catch at the end of the third quarter gave Lockport hope. But the big play Vikings took it away soon afterward.

"We were a little sloppy at times, and we have to pick it up, that's the plan," Sias said. "We have to stay focused and clean stuff up. We just have to execute and do the little things."

Czart agreed, and with a third of the season in the books, the Porters need to make adjustments and plays.

"We have to find a way to get it done," Czart said. "The feeling now is we have to win the next game. We play to win and coach to win."
 

By Randy Whalen

They are all big games. But when two teams square off in the third week of the football season with 1-1 records each, it's even bigger. 

That's what will happen this Friday as Homewood-Flossmoor comes to town for a big game, which is also the Southwest Valley Blue opener for both teams. 

"With the competition we play, it's always going to be tough," Lockport coach George Czart said. "We preach that we are going to be in every game.

"H-F has some talented players, and whoever has the ball for them is a threat to score. They've been scoring a lot of points. So to be successful, we will have to hold them under their average."

The Vikings won their opener at home by a score of 44-30 over Bolingbrook. But last week they lost on the road, 35-16 to St. Charles North. 

Troy McAllister takes over as H-F coach this season after four years and three state playoff appearances at Sandburg. Before that, McAllister spent 11 years at Phillips in Chicago. There, he had a record of 94-28 and led the Wildcats to the Class 4A state championship in 2015 and the Class 5A state championship in 2017. Those are the only state football titles in Public League history

Rahsaan Coleman, a junior transfer from Brother Rice, is the H-F quarterback. Wide receiver Myles Ellis is a big target, and so is fellow senior DaJuan Taylor, a tight end, who doubles at outside linebacker. Seniors Kellen Gamble and Kyle Bryant anchor the offensive line. Defensively, the Vikings look to junior lineman David Hill, as well as seniors Camren McClellan at cornerback and Khamryn Beaver at defensive end. 

After winning their opener 34-0 over Plainfield North, the Porters lost a heartbreaker last week, 21-17, in the final seconds to Lincoln-Way West.

There were still some nice defensive efforts from Lockport. Junior defensive end Cornell Bass had a pair of sacks and batted down a pass. Senior linebacker Andre Labuda also had a sack, senior defensive tackle Ethan Sydnor recovered a fumble, and junior defensive back Josh Kies had his second interception in as many weeks. 

But defensive tackle Michael Pratt went out with a shoulder injury, and fellow senior Drew Silzer at linebacker left with an ankle injury. On offense, senior wide receiver David Kundrat left in concussion protocol. Their status for this week isn't known yet.

On offense, senior quarterback Brendan Mecher had a nice game, going 15-of-23 for 146 yards. Senior tight end Mason Moore had a 3-yard TD reception, junior wide receiver Khairi Sias had a trio of receptions for 65 yards, and senior wide receiver Adam Kozak caught nine passes for 82 yards. 

They will have to step up again for the Porters to win this week.

"We have to do our 1/11 part and listen to our coaches and prepare well," Kozak said of the H-F matchup. "I believe we will be successful."

So does senior running back Chris Miller. It was a year ago that Miller emerged. He was a linebacker, but due to injuries, he had to fill in at running back in the final game of last season.. In that game, he had 29 carries for 290 yards and five touchdowns to help the Porters rally from a 19-point halftime deficit for a 36-32 victory over host H-F and knock the Vikings out of the playoff hunt.

In the first two games this season, Miller has almost exactly those same numbers, as he has 29 carries for 285 yards and five touchdowns. 

He's hoping to add to that this weekend. But something else the Porters have to do is hang onto the football, as they had two turnovers last week.

"We lose the games when we lose the turnover battle," Czart said. "So we have to do better than that. There's not one player responsible for last week's loss. It was just a myriad of things."

Most Lockport home games have been varsity-only; this season's ones are scheduled to start at 6:15 p.m. But this week, the sophomore game takes place first. That is expected to start at 4:45 p.m. with the varsity game to follow, probably at around 7 or so. 

This Friday is supposed to be warmer, with highs in the mid-80s during the day, dropping into the 70s with light winds by game time. No matter what the weather, both teams were 4-5 last year, and this will be big when it comes to making the postseason. 

"Except for two or three plays, we didn't give up the big play," Czart said of last week against Lincoln-Way West. "We need to have a quality performance."

By Randy Whalen

"It's better when you win."

Yes, it is. But unfortunately for the Lockport Township football team, it fell short in a classic battle this past Friday.

That happened when Lincoln-Way senior running back Jahan Abubakar scored his second touchdown of the game with 11.9 seconds to play. That capped an 11-play, 70-yard game-winning drive as the Warriors won 21-17 over the host Porters on Friday evening, September 5, on Senior Night.

It was the second straight season the two teams played a down-to-the-wire game. Lincoln-Way West won 40-39 in double overtime last year. The team's five meetings since the first one, in 2016, have all been decided by eight points or less.

The loss against a local rival dropped Lockport to 1-1. The Warriors (2-0) remained undefeated in the early season. 

"We have to make plays," Lockport junior defensive end Cornell Bass said. "But at the end, we weren't there. We have to do what Lockport does and respond."

Brendan Mechar agreed.

"It was a tough loss," the Porter senior quarterback said. But overall, we need to really fine-tune the little things in our offense to be able to get the ball moving."

The Porters will look to do that, but credit Lincoln-Way West for putting together a game-winning drive at the end.

After going back-and-forth in a scoreless second half, Lockport had a big play as Mecher connected with junior wide receiver Khairi Sias on a 42-yard pass to the 12 midway through the fourth quarter. But the drive stalled at the Warrior 11, and a delay penalty pushed the ball back to the 16. However, senior Matt Blazewski drilled a 33-yard field goal, giving the Porters their first lead of the game at 17-14 with 4:18 remaining.

Undaunted, Lincoln-Way West put together the winning drive. Senior quarterback Grant Tustin (9-18, 92 yards passing, 14 carries for 55 yards rushing) had numerous big plays on the drive. He ran for 15 yards on second-and-15 early on, and he completed a 14-yard pass to Chase Markowicz and an 18-yard one to fellow senior Ethan Swanson.

"We just stayed calm, we were in control of the game," Tustin said. "I've got to credit everyone, our defense, our offensive line, and Jahan, he's a great player."

Tustin threw an interception in the end zone as junior defensive back Josh Kies picked it off with a minute left in the third quarter. His lone incompletion in the winning drive was also nearly intercepted. But he knew he'd have to refocus when needed again.

"That's all, Coach Eenst," Tustin said of offensive coordinator Dave Ernst. "Even when I got worked up, he got me back in shape to win the football game."

Abubakar finished with 22 carries for 140 yards. He carried the ball on the final four plays of the drive, the first of which was an 18-yard gain to make it first-and-goal at the five. After runs of three and one yard, he ran in basically untouched from the one for the winning score.

The Porters had one last gasp, taking over at their 23. After an incompletion, Mecher completed the final pass of the game to Sias (3 receptions for 65 yards), which went for 16 yards. But a lateral attempt went forward instead, and the game was over.

"It was a great team win," Abubakar said. "At the end, I just had to punch it in behind all my linemen, and there's no better feeling. 

"Some people doubted us this week, and coach said we'd face a lot of adversity. We just had to fight till the end, and it was great to see."

Unless you were the Porters.

"Absolutely, it was a great game, but it's better when you win," Lockport coach George Czart said. "We had to make more plays. West made plays when they had to. Their quarterback made throws in traffic down the stretch, and hats off to them."

Czart has many ties to Lincoln-Way West. He lives in the district and was the linebackers coach for the Warriors between 2016-18 before becoming head coach at Lockport. 

"We preach to the whole group that the most important play is the next," Lincoln-Way West coach Luke Lokanc said. "So at the end, we just had to stay calm. Grant Tustin has been in our program a long time, and he did a good job. 

"There's not much difference in our program and Lockport's. George (Czart) and I have a relationship that goes back a long way, since I was young. This was just a tough game, and we knew it was a big one. I'm just super proud of the group, and it's been a fun start to the season for our team so far." 

The Warriors' opening drive of the game reached the Lockport six-yard line. However, on first-and-goal there, they fumbled, and senior lineman Ethan Sydnor recovered the ball for Lockport. After an exchange of punts, Lincoln-Way West capitalized on a short field, covering 46 yards in five plays as Abubakar scored on a 3-yard run at the start of the second quarter.

On the second play of the Porters' next drive, senior running back Chris Miller (15 carries for 153 yards) burst down the left side for an 86-yard touchdown. After no scoring in the first quarter, 14 points were scored within the first 29 seconds of the second quarter, tying the game at 7-7.

Lincoln-Way West responded immediately with a 9-play, 80-yard drive, finished off by a 13-yard touchdown run from Markowicz. The Porters then answered with a 78-yard, 15-play drive that consumed 6:22 off the clock. Mecher ended it with a 3-yard touchdown pass to wide-open senior tight end Mason Moore.

Mecher finished 15-of-23 for 146 yards and had 12 carries for 35 yards. Senior wide receiver Adam Kozak had nine receptions for 82 yards. But the Porters also had two turnovers, an interception by sophomore defensive back Nichalos Elstner midway through the third quarter, and a fumble recovery by Warrior senior defensive back RJ Boyce at the Lincoln-Way West 23 with 9:21 to play in the game. 

Lockport had more yards with a 338-296 advantage. The Warriors were going to have senior kicker Zach Hermanson attempt a 49-yard field goal in the third quarter. But the snap on the hold was fumbled, and they lost eight yards.  

Bass had a pair of sacks and batted down a pass. Senior linebacker Andre Labuda also had a sack. But Lockport senior defensive lineman Michael Pratt went out with a shoulder injury in the second quarter and didn't return.

"Now we just have to focus on H-F," Bass said of hosting Homewood-Flossmoor this week. "We are all going to get better and come out and dominate."

That's the plan. 

"We are going to have a great week of practice and preparation for HF," Mecher said. "We just need to do our job and stay disciplined, and we will be successful."

Czart is going to make sure of that.

"There's nothing good about this," he said of the loss. "We're not playing up to our potential, and if we make mistakes, we're going to pay. "If we are going to put the ball on the ground, we are most likely going to lose. We have to get back to work and get better."

By Randy Whalen

It's Week No. 2 of the high school football season, and it's a big one.

All the Lockport Township football team has to do is remember last season. After an opening week win, the Porters played at home again and looked to improve to 2-0 with another win. But Wheaton North had other plans and pulled out a late victory, scoring a touchdown and a 2-point conversion with 2:22 to play to get a 22-21 victory.

That proved to be huge, as every game in a 9-game season is magnified. The Porters finished the season at 4-5 and missed the playoffs. 

"We lost twice like that," Czart said of suffering a one-point loss. "It was us not being able to stop the big play. So this season it would definitely be nice to start 2-0."

Yes, it would be nice to start that way. But standing in the Porter's way is Lincoln-Way West. That was the other team that Lockport lost to by one point last season. 

The Warriors are also this week's opponent.

Last year, Lincoln-Way West won 40-39 in double overtime on Friday, October 18, in a memorable Southwest Valley Conference crossover at Lockport. 

This season's matchup does not count in the conference standings. It's just two local schools with great programs getting together for what they believe will be another close, competitive game.

"It's the same as last year," Czart said. "They called and wanted to know if we wanted to play, and we jumped at it. Last year, a lot of their scoring came at the end (including a winning 2-point conversion) and was on big plays. We can't have that happen."

The Warriors, who have won 16 games over the last two seasons, finished 7-4 last season. They had a heartbreaking 25-21 second-round Class 7A playoff loss to Batavia in New Lenox. Batavia went on to play for the Class 7A State Championship. 

This is the 17th season that Lincoln-Way West has been a varsity program, and it will be only the fifth time it has played the Porters. Lockport won the first three, 14-7 at home in 2016, 21-13 at home in 2021, and 34-28 in New Lenox in 2022. The Porters made the playoffs in each one of those seasons and won the Class 8A title in 2021.

After being the head coach at Lincoln-Way North for the eight years it was open (between 2008-16), Czart was the linebackers coach at Lincoln-Way West between 2016-18. He then got the head coaching job at Lockport in 2019, but he is very familiar with how the Warriors operate and what a good program they have, as they have qualified for the postseason 13 times in their short history and placed second in Class 5A in 2015. 

In the opening week of this season, Lincoln-Way West pulled away from an early tie and defeated visiting Eisenhower 47-7.

*The Warriors look to stay strong behind seniors Grant Tustin at quarterback, Chase Markowicz at receiver/defensive back, and Jahan Abubakar, who had over 200 yards of total offense and four touchdowns, at running back last week. Senior Jackson Mansker joins Markowicz in a strong secondary. Lincoln-Way West has 37 seniors on its roster.

"They are a good, powerful team," Czart said of the Warriors. "They like to run the ball, but can pass. They are always good at passing the ball when they have to. They forced turnovers against Eisenhower and took advantage of them. 

"We can't have turnovers against Lincoln-Way West. We can't play sloppy against good teams."

Lockport had a dominating 34-0 victory over Plainfield North to open the season. Seniors Chris Miller (14 carries for 132 yards, 4 TDs) and Rayden Cherco (5 carries for 59 yards, TD) helped lead the offense to 283 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Brendan Mecher didn't have to pass often, but between his passing (50) and rushing (47) yards, he gained nearly 100 yards. 

On defense, senior defensive tackle Michael Pratt and junior defensive end Cornell Bass had sacks. Junior defensive back Matt Kies had an interception, and senior linebackers Andre Labuda and Drew Silzer also came up big.

*Friday is Senior Night as the Porters will honor their seniors and families starting at 5:25. This is the second of four home games to start the season. It's a varsity-only game, and kickoff is slated to start at 6:15. The forecast is calling for cooler temperatures in the low 60s and winds out of the west in the teens. 

"We want to clean some things up," Czart said of this week's game. "We had some special teams slopiness and false start penalties in the opener. If we get better this week, it will bode well. 

"I've been excited about us all offseason. We have some talent."

By Randy Whalen

Four was the magic number for the Lockport Township football team.

Chris Miller scored four touchdowns, and the Porter defense posted their first shutout in four years.  

It all added up to a dominant 34-0 victory over Plainfield North in the season opener on Friday evening, August 29, in Lockport.

It was the third straight time the two teams met to open the season. Lockport won the other two by six and seven points.

Yes, it's one game. But with the combination of talent on both sides of the ball, it feels like this could be a nice season for the Porters.

"We're a different team than last year," said Lockport coach George Czart, whose team missed the playoffs last season. "We controlled the line of scrimmage and had a nice pass rush. When we do that, we're going to be successful."

Miller, a senior who believes you should do something to be interviewed, continued the form that he had in the final game of last season. 

"I'd say I deserve it this time," Miller smiled after being interviewed following the game. "But there were also no points on the board for them. So it was a great job by our defense."

Yes, it was, as Lockport dominated the line of scrimmage and won its opener for the fifth straight season. 

But on offense, the Porters found a force in Miller, who was a linebacker. Due to injuries, he had to fill in at running back in the final game of last season.. In that game, he had 29 carries for 290 yards and five touchdowns to help the Porters rally from a 19-point halftime deficit for a 36-32 victory over host Homewood-Flossmoor.

Friday, he didn't have to carry the ball that many times. But running behind a line that featured seniors Cole Sullivan, who was injured early in the game, Jaylen Cox, Chase Miller, Owen Wilczak, along with juniors Thomas Marcello and Philip  Ponterio, Miller finished with 14 carries for 132 yards and the four TDs.

"Chris did a great job," Czart said. "If he stays healthy, he can have a special season."

Even with the offensive explosion, the game was sloppy to start with a slew of illegal procedure penalties. After a pair of punts, the Porters threw an interception on their second possession. Senior defensive back Tommy Spalding had the pick for the Tigers.

The only thing was that two plays later, they returned the favor and also threw an interception. That one was by junior defensive back Matt Kies, who returned it 15 yards, setting up the Porters at the Plainfield North 24.

"It was just that our offense had gotten down after throwing an interception," Kies said. "So I want to turn that around. We were in cover three, and I saw their quarterback's eyes, so I started cheating up and made a move to get the ball.

"Some people thought it was going to be close, but I didn't. We have a great defensive line and linebackers. This was a good day, and it feels nice to win like this."

Kies' pick set up Miller's first TD. That came five plays later from 4 yards out. Even though the extra point was blocked, it was 6-0 with 3:30 left in the first quarter, and the Porters seemed to relax then.

"I love setting the tone," Miller said. "When I got that first touchdown, my adrenaline was bumping and I loved just jumping around and going crazy with my teammates."

Later in the first half, Miller caught a 17-yard pass from senior quarterback Brendan Mecher (5-of-7, 50 yards) to the one. He plowed in from there on the next play to make it 13-0 with 3:25 to play in the second quarter.

"It was a good first game to get under our belt to put us 1-0," Mecher said. "We had some early hiccups, but we stayed focused and played our game. Chris Miller had an outstanding night with four touchdowns. 

"The defense was shut down, holding them to 0. One of our juniors, Matt Kies, came up with his first interception of the year. Yes, we would like to pass the ball more, but if the run game is not broken, then don't fix it."

How dominant was the Lockport defense? Well, following Miller's second score, Plainfield North senior running back Mariell Macon broke free for a 53-yard gain down the right sideline. But in the first half, the Tigers had 57 total yards. So, other than Macon, who finished with 11 carries for 72 yards, they had four yards in the first half.

On the first play of the Porters' first possession of the second half, Miller galloped down the left sideline for a 69-yard touchdown. 

"When I just see green in front of me, it's the coolest experience," Miller said of his long TD run. "I just love it. I worked out on the hills this past summer, and I'm faster than I was last year.

"I just want to thank the offensive line and the man upstairs. Thanks and glory to him."

Miller added an 11-yard touchdown run with 1:03 left in the third quarter and sat out the rest of the game. Lockport, which had a total of 283 rushing yards, still ran the ball in the fourth quarter, going 72 yards in eight plays on the ground and getting a final touchdown on an 11-yard run from senior running back Rayden Cherco (5 carries for 59 yards). 

The Tigers were limited to four first downs and 112 total yards. They did have a couple of nice sacks by senior defensive ends Jacob Jimenez and Anthony Babino in the first half, but couldn't move the ball. 

Senior defensive tackle Michael Pratt and junior defensive end Cornell Bass had sacks for Lockport Seniors Stephen Brown and Tyrone Evans, also patrolled the defensive line for the Porters. Pratt's 11-yard sack came in the final minute of the first half, keeping the Tigers at bay after they had reached the Lockport 25.

"The whole defense was solid," Pratt said. "We practice hard and we play hard, no excuses. We're going to be strong and solid. We have our small details down pat, and that's how we do it. We start strong, stay disciplined up front, and do not give up many yards."

The last time the Porters had a shutout to start a season was in 2021. They had five of them that year, including a 34-0 one over Glenbard West in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs, en route to a state championship. This was their first shutout since then.

Could that be a sign?

"I'd say a state title is always the goal," said Chris Miller, who advanced to the Class 3A state wrestling finals at 165 pounds last season. "That's what I've got in mind."

By Randy Whalen

Home is where the heart is. 

It's also where many of the Lockport Township football games are this season.

That includes the opening game of the season, this Friday, August 29, at 6:15 PM.

"It's a great feeling," Lockport coach George Czart said of the season starting. "It's very familiar, and there's an excitement to the new season. We know it's going to be packed with a big crowd, and it's pretty cool to have all that support."

For the third straight season, Plainfield North is the opening opponent. The Tigers are slated to be the first foe again next year as well.

"Plainfield North has a great reputation for playing very, very well and is very well coached," Czart said. "It's been two close games with them, and I see no reason why it won't be a close game this year.

"Being the first game, I don't know much about them. But they have a new quarterback, a big guy, who is a volleyball player. They always play good defense, and we expect the same. So we must prepare accordingly and take advantage of our scoring opportunities."

The new Tiger quarterback is junior Easton Isaacson. Senior Finn Fuller will anchor the offensive line, while junior linebacker Mason Stewart and senior cornerback Mariell Macon will lead the defense.

The Porters will look to seniors Brendan Mecher at quarterback and Chris Miller at running back to spur the offense. Seniors Mike Pratt on the line and Andre Labuda, at linebacker, are among the leaders for the Lockport defense.

Last season, both the Tigers and Lockport finished with 4-5 records and missed the playoffs. That broke a 4-year postseason streak for Plainfield North and a 3-year one for the Porters. So they know that, even though this game is early in the season, it can be big for playoff possibilities, as one extra win can make all the difference. 

Especially since the schedule doesn't get any easier for either team. The Porters will host Lincoln-Way West next week, while Plainfield North travels to face last season's Class 8A runner-up, York. 

"Yes, we need to get off to a good start," Czart said. "But I'm not arguing with six home games. But we know we have to shore up our pass defense."

In the past three seasons, 13 of Lockport's 27 regular-season games have been decided by seven points or less. That means the kicking game will be big. The Porters have a familiar name in that role again this season. That's senior Matt Blazewski. 

Two of those games were against the Tigers. Those were a 14-8 victory two years ago in a defensive tussle in Plainfield, and 28-21 last season in Lockport. 

This is the 20th varsity season for the Tigers, who play in the West Division of the Southwest Prairie Conference. It's the seventh for current head coach Anthony Imbordino, who has a record of 36-21. 

They've had a lot of success in that time, making the playoffs 11 times, starting in 2009. In 2016, Plainfield North went all the way to the Class 7A State Championship Game, losing to an undefeated East St. Louis team 26-13, and finishing the season with a record of 11-3.

This will be the fifth-ever meeting between the two teams. They also played each other in the second week of the season in both 2011 and 2012. Each time the home team won, and ended up making the playoffs. The Porters blocked a punt in the fourth quarter in 2011, leading to the winning touchdown in a 28-21 victory. In 2012, Plainfield North won 35-2.

The evening schedule is for the varsity-only game. The forecast calls for cooler temperatures, but little chance of rain. It's a new season, and it's exciting to open at home.

"The last couple of years it's been hot, and we had kids cramping up, so I like the cooler weather," Czart said. To have a big crowd at home will be nice. But we want to treat them to some good football. We want to make sure we have a good product on the field."
 

By Randy Whalen

Under the radar.

That old saying fits this season's Lockport Township varsity football team. 

The Porters have half their starters back from last year. Yet, they aren't listed among many of the top team lists as the season gets going. That's fine with them. 

"We like being under the radar," Lockport coach George Czart said. "Sure, we'd like to be up there, but you have to earn it. We believe we can."

Four years ago, the Porters were under the radar. They believed they would have been a playoff team if they had had a full season in the fall of 2020. However, COVID had other plans, and although they went 4-2 in an abbreviated spring 2021 season, few expected much from them in the fall of 2021. 

On Thanksgiving weekend of 2021, Lockport was the Class 8A State Champion. 

Expectations for the next few seasons were high. But injuries and losses in close games derailed any postseason success.

Last year, Lockport lost a pair of games by one point and two more against Naperville Central and North, which were much closer than the final score. So how do they pull out these close games? By staying healthy.

"A main thing is, since I've been here, we haven't had a quarterback or running back play the entire season," said Czart, who has been head coach since 2019. "So we have to stay healthy."

Take senior Brendon Mecher. He started the season at wide receiver and had 10 receptions for 275 yards and three TDs. But when Conley Pfeiffer got hurt midseason. Mecher stepped in at quarterback and finished the season 45-of-98 for 672 yards, with four touchdowns and four interceptions. 

"This is a big senior year, and I'm expecting great things," Mecher said. "We've all bonded and are pushing each other. I just love bonding and getting together with the boys on a Friday night. 

"I started the last five games at quarterback, and it helped me a ton. It made me a lot more comfortable and helped me become a leader. Now, guys come to me and I have answers."

Quarterback wasn't the only position where the Porters had injuries. Johnny Wesolowski started the season at running back. But after having 46 carries for 311 yards and six TDs, he went out in the second week with a season-ending hip injury in a 22-21 loss to Wheaton North. Then Tyler Pospisil, who finished the season with 120 carries for 615 yards and 10 TDs, filled in and did great. But he suffered a pair of broken ribs in Week 8 40-39 double overtime loss to Lincoln-Way West. 

So in the final game last year, Lockport discovered its next running back. That was Chris Miller, who was a linebacker and had never had a varsity football carry, but came in at running back. In that game, he had 29 of them for 290 yards and five touchdowns.

He helped the Porters rally from a 19-point halftime deficit for a 36-32 victory over host Homewood-Flossmoor in an amazing Southwest Valley Blue game. 

So, who's the starting running back this season?

"It's absolutely a no-brainer," Czart said of having Miller, now a senior and a 3-sport athlete, as the starter. "We just want to keep him healthy."

Miller, who went to state in wrestling last season, is ready.

"As a freshman, I was a running back," Miller said. "But then I moved to being a linebacker, and when my name was called (in the H-F game), I rose to the occasion. 

"I'm thrilled for the season. I'm so excited, and I'm thinking about it every minute of every day. We have a great offensive line, and I have a lot of faith in this team. A big part comes down to coaching and knowing your role. Just do your job."

Part of that job is to hold on to the ball. Take last season's 31-21 Week 6 loss to a very good Naperville Central team. Lockport turned the ball over four times in the game. 

"A big thing for us is handling the ball," Mecher said. "We had a bunch of turnovers against Naperville Central last year. So it's big to keep the ball safe."

Czart concurred.

"We've got to protect the ball," he said. "When our offense has the ball, we have to be able to move the ball and score."

Uncharacteristically, the Porters allowed 31 or more points in their final five games last season. So the defense has to come up big this fall. They will have to do that without one of their leaders for the first few games. That's Colton Benaitis, who had six interceptions in eight games at free safety last season, as well as playing some wide receiver. He broke his collarbone early in the summer but is expecting to be back.

"My goal is to 100 percent be back by Week 4," Benaitis said of the Lincoln-Way East matchup at home. "I haven't played against (the Griffins) in my varsity high school career. As a sophomore, I had a concussion, and last year I had a broken hand. So I want to face them."

Benaitis believes this year's team can be very good.

"It's going to be awesome," he said. "We're going to shock some people, and there's no limit with these guys. We've been very overlooked. Every guy next to me would die for me, and I'd do the same for them. 

"Communication is key. There are just the little things, and we've got to take care of the ball. It's going to be great."

Senior Matt Blazewski, who was 7-for-7 on extra points before going out with an early-season injury last year, returns as the place kicker and punter. 

"We've always had good kickers here," Czart said. "That can be an extra three points, and that can be big."

As always, there has been some good competition for positions as the season approaches. Especially for center where seniors Jaylen Cox and Chase Miller, along with junior Marcello Thomas, have been battling it out. Philip Ponterio is at left tackle, and fellow junior Joe Siadak will be at left guard. Senior Owen Wilczak returns at right guard, and senior Cole Callahan Sullivan is the right tackle.

Mecher and Miller are back, as are fellow senior returning starters Adam Kozak at wide receiver and Mason Moore at tight end. Senior Rayden Cherco and junior Rory Radatz will also be looked to as running backs. Seniors David Kundrat and Josh Moyano, as well as junior Khairi Sias, will also be wide receivers. Senior Teddy Ponterio is also a tight end.

Defensively, returning senior starter Mike Pratt leads a half dozen guys who are vying upfront. Seniors Stephen Brown, Jacob Gallagher, and Ethan Sydnor, along with juniors Cornell Bassa and Stefan Vasilic, will also be among the defensive linemen.

Seniors Andre Labuda and Nick Moerman return at linebacker. Also, look for seniors Gordon Kairis and Drew Silzer, as well as junior Darrell McCullough, to be looked for at linebacker.

The defensive backs are led by Benaitis. But senior AJ Garcia Jr., along with juniors Lucas Clark, Jake Manzo, and twins Josh and Matt Kies, will also be counted on in the secondary.

This season's group of assistant coaches brings years of experience. They are: Mark Carmen, Joe Dunlap, Jimmy Fox, Derek Freiberg, Pete Kishline, Kris Norton, Rob Schultz, Mike Schroeder, Nolan Shaw, Josh Vargas, and Zach Vargas.

This is the second season for the Southwest Valley Conference. Lockport is once again in the Blue, which is the big school division. There are seven league games, and after a year off, an old rival, Sandburg, is back on the schedule for a Week 7 road game. 

"They beat us the last couple of times," Czart said of the Eagles. "So it's going to be nice to have that opportunity to play them again."

In a scheduling oddity, Lockport has six home games this season. That includes the first four against Plainfield North, Lincoln-Way West, Homewood-Flossmoor, and Lincoln-Way East.       

"I can't recall ever having six total home games, and we have to get off to a good start," Czart said. "Those first four games could elevate our season or sink it."   

That could be the case. But one thing is for sure, coming off a 4-5 season and missing the playoffs, the Porters plan to return to their winning ways and grab another postseason berth.

"As with every year, we are excited to get things rolling," Czart said. "We believe we have a talented group again that will be tested every week. We have a return of skill kids and a mix of returning players who got a lot of action last year due to rotations and injuries. We feel that our quarterback play will be exciting and our defense will be solid."
 

By Randy Whalen

The Lockport Township sophomore football team isn't just there to take players to the next step of varsity football. 

Oh, sure, the Porters want to do that. But they are also focused on a bigger goal.

Winning.

"We expect to win, that's the bottom line," Lockport sophomore coach Mike Taylor said. "We have that mentality. That translates into doing things like practicing the right way and focusing on a lot of the little things."

Taylor is in his second season as head sophomore coach. He works in special education at Lockport. Taylor first played high school football it was his sophomore season at Lincoln-Way North in 2007. His coach? George Czart, the current head coach of the Porters.

So with a mentor like that, Taylor knows about winning and preparation. There is a trio of captains on the team this season. They are Brennen Malloy, who is the quarterback, but will double as kicker/punter. Kenny McElroy, who can play tight end/wide receiver, as well as linebacker/defensive back, and Prince Nartey at running back.

The current crop of Porter sophomores was 2-7 on the freshman "A" team last season. So how is this fall going to be different?

"This year we have more energy," Narty said. "More guys are experienced in the game, and we have a better team. That will lead to a better record.

Nartey not only looks forward to this season, but he also has family ties with the Porters.

"To me, it's an honor to play here," he said. "My brother, Leslie, a 2019 graduate, used to wear this jersey. He helped make me the player that I am. I love seeing people in the stands and the support you get."

Malloy does too and believes there are a lot of good things in store.

"The people around me get me prepared," Malloy said. "Going up against the defense gets me ready. We have a new playbook this year, and it's a lot better, a lot simpler. 

"Overall, it's just the energy. It's exciting to be here."

McElory can play a variety of positions. But defense is his favorite.

"I like them all, but I really like defense," he said. "I like the high energy of football; it's a team game. I love hitting someone or getting an interception and taking it back.

"I also like the culture, the traditions. I love that the guys in the upper class teach the lower class everything, and that just carries on."

Other defensive players to watch include Austin Bielski and Dylan McKeown at linebacker. Jake Durnas at defensive end, Lou Schultz at cornerback, and Rawad Elhaj at nose tackle. Unfortunately, defensive lineman Oliver Knoepfle was lost for the season due to an injury.

Also at wide receiver will be Jaxson Little, who is the younger brother of Ryan Little, the leading receiver on the 2021 Class 8A State Title team. Plus, Cole Lamb, MJ Redden, and Leo Ruiz will also be looked at as wide receivers. 

The offensive line will include Donovan Edmonds, Kuba Kruczak, and John Tadros. They will all mix to hopefully improve the Porters from a 6-3 record last season. All the home sophomore games will be played at the stadium football field at 9 AM on the Saturday following the Friday night varsity games. 

The away games, except for the Evanston matchup at 10 AM on Saturday, October 18, will be played before the varsity games

"We have great coaches and players," Taylor said. "When we have that, good things happen. We've got talent. We put the work in, and we plan to win." 
 

By Randy Whalen

Ray Pustelnik remembers the moment.

As an offensive lineman on the 2017 and 2018 Lockport Township football teams, Pustelnik was going over plays with assistant coach Mark Carmen when the question was posed.

"I was talking X&Os with Coach Carmen," Pustelnik recalls. "He looked at me and was like, 'Are you going to be a coach someday?' That set it off for me. I was like, 'I really want to.'"

Pustelnik is actually in his second season as a freshman football coach at the school he graduated from in 2019. Last fall, he was the "B" team coach. However, this year marks his first year as the head freshman coach.

"I'm happy to be here," Pustelnik said. "I came in and helped out last year. I'm super excited to have the opportunity to coach where I played, back at Lockport."

But Pustelnik isn't the only one on the freshman staff who played for the Porters. Adam DeCaire, a 2004 graduate who played on the first two Lockport football state title teams, returns as wide receiver coach. Scott Miller, a 2018 graduate and the older brother of current varsity running back Chris Miller, serves as the defensive backs coach. Mike Kinney, a 2020 grad, is the offensive line coach.  

"There's a very strong connection back to our roots," Pustelnik said of the past Porter connection being on the current coaching staff. "There is a lot of reverence for the program, and that's pretty cool."

Yes, there is, and that shows in the attitude of two of the top skill players on the team.

"We cut our vacation short by two days to come back and see the state championship game," quarterback Jimmy White said of his family in 2021. "I was in fifth grade, and to see them do that gave me a lot of inspiration."

Also inspiring him is his older sister, Gianna White, a 2024 Lockport graduate. She qualified for the Class 2A State Finals in golf during her junior and senior seasons and is currently golfing at Northern Kentucky University.

Now the younger White, who helped lead the Homer Stallions to a lot of success in youth football, is looking to take charge of the Porters.

"We had very good coaching and put in a lot of work," he said of the Stallions. "At Lockport, we are learning and putting in true work. We are getting better as a team."

White played with Chace Massat at every stop on the Stallions, from the third, fifth, seventh, and eighth grade teams.

"Yes, I was at the state championship game," Massat said of 2021. "That same year, we won the fifth-grade Super Bowl for the Stallions in the River Valley Conference."

Massat pointed out that those Stallions teams went 40-3 in the years he played for them. He believes that will translate over to success for the Porters, not only this fall, but throughout high school.

"We're expecting to do well," he said. "We've got to keep the team together, trust the coaches, and perform."

Other players who will be looked to on the freshman team this season include Aiden Anzar and Deymeatrius Moseley, who can double on both the offensive and defensive lines. 

Also, Jake Pfeiffer, no relation to the Pfeiffer family of quarterbacks at Lockport, will be a wide receiver and free safety. Jordan Thomas will also be a wide receiver and cornerback. Andrew Scholten will be looked at as an inside linebacker, and Sammy Strock is a blossoming tight end.

Tom Munoz is the "B" team coach this season. Most of the games will be played on Saturday, except for the last two. Those are a Friday home game against Metea Valley and a Thursday away game at Neuqua Valley. There is plenty of talent to pick from on both levels, and the "A" team is looking for much better than last year's 2-7 record.

"We are approaching 70 guys on the team," said Pustelnik of the no-cut roster. "We were able to get a lot of guys a lot of reps in practice.

"We've got some talent, we definitely do.  We have skill, great conduct, and a tight-knit group."

By Randy Whalen

There is no offseason in football.

Preparation, weight training, and building endurance are among the things that football players do to prepare for what, compared to other sports, has many fewer games.

But as the season approaches, that preparation ramps up in the summer. That was certainly the case for the Lockport Township football team. 

"We had a good summer," Lockport coach George Czart said. "It's exciting to see the mix of talent and character on the team. We have half our starters back and a good group from the sophomore team. I like what I saw from them."

As usual, the Porters held a youth camp during the summer where the kids got to work with current players and coaches on their skills and drills. 

"Our youth camp was for one week," Czart said. "It is for fifth through eighth grade, and we had a good turnout."

Something different this summer, though, was that the Porters did not do any 7-on-7 drills against other teams.

"Football is a game that involves tackling and blocking," Czart said. "Those are two things that you don't really do at 7-on-7s. Sure, 7-on-7s are OK, and we're still practicing those things. Just not against other teams."

Senior David Kundrat is a wide receiver, and he didn't mind not having another team to go against in the summer.

"We have a lot of guys competing for spots," he said. "So we had some very competitive team practices, but no 7-on-7s. That's OK, because our defense has been really competitive and is going to be really good. 

"We have a lot of good guys that we go against, and that gives us a lot of different looks in practice."

Another senior who enjoyed the summer and expects to be in the mix to do great things this fall is Drew Silzer. His older twin brothers, Cody and Cole, were outstanding defensive linemen on the 2021 Lockport Class 8A State Championship team.

This summer has been great," Silzer said. "We've just been coming together as a team and finding a lot of leaders. I feel that we're going to have a really good season this year. 

"A lot of it will be making a name for myself and being my own guy. When we were freshmen and sophomores, we did well, and I think we can be dominant again. We just have to come together and have a good season."

Czart made mention that last season Lockport "Battled the injury bug." A pair of senior running backs, Johnny Wesolowski (46 carries for 311 yards, 6 TDs) and  Tyler Pospisil (120 carries for 615 yards, 10 TDs) didn't finish the season. 

Chris Miller, who was incredible with 29 carries for 290 yards and five 5 TDs to help rally Lockport from a 19-point halftime deficit for a 36-32 victory in the season finale at Homewood-Flossmoor, is a senior this season and looks to be one of the running backs. 

Another senior, Colton Benaitis, was huge at free safety last year. He's been working hard to get back, but will miss the start of the season with a broken collarbone. 

After missing the playoffs last fall, the Porters expect to be better this season and not only qualify once again but also make some noise in the postseason. 

"It was a very good summer, and I'm excited for the season," Kundrat said. "I think we will do really well. We're going to be better than last year, that's for sure."
 

By Randy Whalen

Teddy Ponterio is a senior tight end on the Lockport Township football team. He's contributed as a blocking back and a receiver.

What can you say about this past week's overwhelming 35-0 win against Barrington in the quarterfinals of the playoffs?
"I'd have to put it as dominate. We came out physical and we wanted it more. I could tell after we blocked the punt that Barrington wasn't ready. They didn't know what was coming or how physical we could be."

How did the team turn it around after a 1-3 start?
"When we were 1-3, we knew we could do better. Especially on the offensive side. We knew we could do more and after we beat Naperville North (20-17 on Friday, September 19 in Naperville), we knew we wanted it bad and we responded."

How long have you been playing football?
"I've been playing since seventh grade. My parents were a little worried about me getting injured if I started earlier. It's been the sport of my dream and what I love to be a part of."

Do you play any other sports?
"I did the shot put in track and field last year. Also, freshman year I wrestled, but I don't do that anymore. I'm not sure about track and field this year. I still might do it since I'm part of the National Honor Society."

What is it about football that makes it the sport for you?
"l just love being around everyone, around the game. But I also love the hitting part. You can be having a bad day and go take out your frustrations with a good block or hit. I also love the discipline of the game."

What has been your favorite game this season?
"I'd say it's a tie between the Naperville Central game and this past week against Barrington. Against Naperville Central (a 14-7 overtime win on Friday, October 3), I caught my first ever reception (an 8-yard gain) on a third down play for a crucial first down. But in the Barrington game we were dominating. By the end of the first quarter, they were out of it. You could see it in their faces."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
Coach Czart still loves the game. He'd go out and put on the shoulder pads if he still could. I've learned from him that life isn't fair. If you get knocked down, you have to get back up, hit back and keep moving in the world."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Science. My favorite has been chemistry. I like doing experiments in there. I like to see how things react. I also like math, especially the discrete math class I'm in now."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"Right now that's still up in the air. It's been my dream to do firefighting. I like to help people and would like to do that as a living."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"It's the culture, just everything about it. It's knowing and having that piece of mind that everyone here is fighting for you."

By Randy Whalen

AJ Garcia is a senior defensive back on the Lockport Township football team. He had an interception in a 21-14 victory over host Sandburg in the first round of the Class 8A Illinois High School Association playoffs. He continued his good play last Saturday in a thrilling 21-20 second-round home win over Homewood-Flossmoor.

What can you say about this past week's second round of the playoffs?
"It was just amazing what our defense was able to do at the end. Matt Kies (who knocked down a 2-point conversion pass) is a great young player and will be something special. Our offense played well and gave us the lead. It was a crazy game."

Do you play any other sports?
"I used to do wrestling and run the 100, 400, and 4x1 relay in track. I did those freshman and sophomore years. But last year, I joined a 7-on-7 league with some other Lockport players in Chicago with Next Level Athletics, and that's really helped."

What is it about football that makes it the sport for you?
"Just being able to go out and compete with my brothers on the offense and defense end. It's just a very team-driven sport. Also, the fact that you can go out there and be physical makes it 10 times better. That's what makes football."

What has been your favorite game this season?
"I'd say it's a tie between the Sandburg and H-F playoff games. The Sandburg game was great, and I got an interception. But beating H-F put us in the quarterfinals for the fifth time in school history. So that shows that the hard work you put in will pay off."

"Have you always played defense, and what is the feeling when you get an interception?
"No, freshman and sophomore year, I played wide receiver on offense. I switched to defensive back in my junior year, and I love it. Getting an interception feels amazing. It shows you played great defense. Plus, if you get an interception, you might be able to score. You have to make the most of it."

What do you have to do to beat Barrington in the quarterfinals this week? 
"They have a very talented team across the board. So we all have to do our individual job, our 1/11th. That can lead us to victory. Plus, we're at home. Our fans will show up, be ready to get it, and make the town of Lockport happy." 

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned so much. But mainly to go out and give it our all on the field. Play like you have nothing to lose and be a great teammate. That doesn't only help us on the football field, but makes us better men too."

What is your favorite class in school?
"My Fire Science class. We've found out what it takes to be a firefighter. Also, what it takes to get a CPR license and an EMS certification. Lieutenant (Mark) Oglesby, who was with the Bolingbrook Fire Department, is the teacher at WILCO in Romeoville."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"I'm still undecided. I'm talking to some D II and D III schools. But I'm still undecided if that's what I want to do, or if I want to go train right away to be a firefighter."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"Just the support from everyone in the community. It's just that they back you up. There's no better feeling than everyone supporting you and backing you up."

By Randy Whalen

Rayden Cherco is a senior running back on the Lockport Township football team. He was named the Porter Offensive Player of the Week following a 21-14 victory over host Sandburg in the first round of the Class 8A Illinois High School Association playoffs.

How did you feel after this past Saturday's win over Sandburg in the opening round of the playoffs?
"It was honestly the most intense game I've ever been involved in. We played almost a perfect game and Chris (Miller) and I did our thing. At the end of the day, no one could stop us. We played a clean game and that got us the win."

You got recognized as the "Offensive Player of the Game" afterward for being a steady force with six carries for 37 yards. How did that feel?
"After the game I was just thinking about the win. So yeah, I was surprised. I just go and do my job. I thought the pass (49-yard touchdown pass from Brendan Mecher to Khairi Sias was one of the greatest plays I've ever seen. It was crazy."

Have you always played running back?
"Yes. I started a little my freshman year and was a starter all of sophomore year. I started playing running back with the Junior Porters. What I love about it is that it's the whole experience with the running back group. We connected and got closer . I played some linebacker some too in youth football. I like running over people."

Do you play any other sports? If not, what is it about football that makes it the sport for you?
"Freshman year I played basketball, but then I decided to just focus on football. My whole family played football. I started a little later, in seventh grade. But I love the atmosphere, the crowds, and the fact that it's a team game. You all have to do your job to win." 

What has been your favorite game this season?
"Both of the Sandburg games. We got it done on the road both times (28-7 on Friday, October 10, in Orland Park  and 21-14 last Saturday). It's a great feeling. They're our rival, but Sandburg is a very talented team and I have respect for them."

What do you have to do to beat Homewood-Flossmoor in round two of the playoffs this week? 
"We have to stop (senior wide receiver) Myles Ellis. Also, the first time we played them (a 28-13 H-F victory on September 12 at Lockport) we didn't play good football on the offensive side. But I think Chris and I have found our stride and we also have (senior safety) Colton Benaitis back. He's brought a whole new energy and life to our team."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned how to be tough. I've learned that life isn't always easy. You have to be tough and not let the little things get to you."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Earth Science. I like how you learn about volcanos, all the different rocks and how the Earth formed. It's pretty interesting. Kyle Cook is the teacher and does great."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"As of now, yes. Probably at the D lll level. I've talked some to Lakeland University in Wisconsin. I want to test it out and see if I can play at that level."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"I love how the whole community gets excited about sports and has your back. But I also love the coaches. Someone like our running back coach, Coach (Mark) Carmen. He won a lot of state titles as (an assistant) coach at Mount Carmel. Everyday he has a new story."

By Randy Whalen

Nick Moerman is a senior linebacker for the Lockport Township football team. He's a big part of the Porters' first-string defense, which only gave up 3 points in last week's 41-17 conference clinching victory at Neuqua Valley. 

How pumped up was the team after last week's dominating victory over Neuqua Valley?
"Very. We knew a lot was on the line with the (Southwest Valley Blue) conference championship. We knew we couldn't overlook Neuqua Valley, and we knew what we had to do. We had to play great on defense, and we bounced back there after giving up 21 points the week before (in a 34-21 home win over Metea Valley)."

Now you play Sandburg again this Saturday at 6 PM in the opening round of the Class 8A playoffs. What about that?
"It's really going to be fun. It's right in our backyard and a big rivalry game. It's going to be a great environment, and we know what we have to do. We have to play physically and with high energy. If we do that and cut down on our mistakes, we'll be in good shape."

I've got to cut right to the question. You play both baseball and football for the Porters. So which sport do you like better?
"That's tough. I can argue for both. But football has been my own sport. My two older brothers played only baseball at Lockport. So it's been nice to get the recognition for football."

Which sport have you been playing longer, and did you always play defense in football?
"I've been around baseball longer, just because of my family. But I also started playing football for the Homer Stallions when I first could, and actually played a little running back. I played cornerback when I got to high school, but I switched to outside linebacker this year. I like linebacker better. You can see the plays develop and be in on the action." 

How much did your older brothers, Ryan and Jake, influence you?
"A lot. Being around them, they influenced me to get in the weight room, and they helped me a lot. I always looked up to them. Ryan graduated in 2021 and played at the University of Illinois and then at Ole Miss. Jake graduated from Lockport in 2023. So, between them and growing up around sports, the only option was to play sports or not be a part of the family."

Which opponent did you enjoy playing the most this season?
"Sandburg (28-7 win on October 10 in Orland Park) because they're our rivals. But also the Naperville Central game (a 14-7 overtime win at home on October 3). That was a tough game. We always knew we had a good defense, and we had to go out and show it by winning that game."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned that football is a physical game. He enjoys watching when the team plays physically. He's 100 had an impact on not only me, but the whole senior class."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Stats and discrete math. It's a two-semester class, and this semester is discrete math. I really enjoy my teacher, Ms. Chelsey Wajchert. She's really engaged and makes it easy to learn."

Do you plan to play baseball or football in college?
"Yes, if I have the opportunity, I'd probably play either sport. I'm in the process of promoting myself, but my parents (Scott and Katy) have instilled in me that getting good grades and education is very important."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"I would say the number of friends and the people you meet. Being in the largest class in every sport, you get to play the best competition and also get to play against friends from other schools. Plus, 100 percent of our coaches are great. Especially between Coach Czart moving me to linebacker, and in baseball, Coach (Scott) Malinowski always holds us accountable."

By Randy Whalen

Mason Moore is a senior tight end for the Lockport Township football team. He's had numerous key receptions this season, including a 4-yard one on fourth-and-four in a 34-21 victory over Merea Valley last Friday. 

You guys have all but clinched the playoffs after last week's win. How big was that?
"It was very big for us. Last year, we had 1-point losses to Wheaton North and to Lincoln-Way West. Those hurt us for making the playoffs. So to do it this year is great."

You started the season at 1-3. So how did you battle back after that?
"We led in the fourth quarter against Lincoln-Way West and shot ourselves in the foot in the red zone against Homewood-Flossmoor. But we knew we had to weather the storm. We just want to keep it up now and have a great outcome."

You've had numerous big short-yardage catches this season. How do you feel about that, and what is it about playing tight end that most people don't know?
"When my number gets called, I have to make a play and do what I can to help the team into the end zone. My goal is to put the team in a position to make plays, and part of that is blocking as a tight end."

Do you play any other sports?
"I played basketball all three of my first years. But I really wanted to focus on football now. I've had way more fun playing football. I played basketball all my life, and I was just tired of it."

What is it about the game of football that makes it the sport for you?
"It's the ultimate team bonding sport. I also love the physicality of it, and that I can play so many different roles for my team and go out and get it done."

Which opponent did you enjoy playing the most this season?
"I enjoyed the Naperville North game, which came down to the wire, and we got it done on the road. The Sandburg game also felt great. They are just up the road and our main rival, and we got it done."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I don't know where to start. He's taught me how to battle through adversity, and he's always been a great leader for me. His hard work and his grit are what I really like about Coach Czart."

What is your favorite class in school?
"My mythology class. It's very interesting. I just like the ancient stories to spice it up. Mr. (John) Foys is the teacher, and it's different than any other class I've taken before."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"Yes, I'm still in the recruiting process. I'm not 100 percent sure, but I'll probably look to play in the Midwest. Where I am within driving distance of home."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"The tight-knit community. We have a lot of people who don't have kids at the school, who come to our games. It's also really neat to see all the alums that come back and coach for the team. I also love wearing the uniform with the school name on it and representing the team and community."

By Randy Whalen

Drew Silzer is a senior linebacker for the Lockport Township football team. He had two sacks in a 28-7 victory over host Sandburg last Friday. 

How big was it to win last week's game?
"All week, the intensity in practice was great. You could feel it. We went out and played our hardest. We prioritize what we were playing for. We worked hard, and it's the same this week."

Your twin brothers, Cody and Cole, were defensive standouts on the Porters' 2021 Class 8A State Title team. How big an influence were they on you? 
"They influenced me in almost everything. I'm really close to them, and I'm always telling them about my games. They watch as many of my games as they can on a live stream. There was a certain feeling they had when they were playing that the team was going to do well, and right now we have a very similar feeling." 

You also wrestle. So which sport do you like the best?
"Football for sure. I like the physical play. I've always enjoyed playing it and watching it. I'm like a genius in knowing about every NFL team. But I've also been wrestling since I was four. My brothers influenced me to wrestle as well because they would come home with medals, and I wanted to have one of those. My goal this season in wrestling is to qualify and place at state."

Have you always played defense?
"Growing up, I played both sides of the ball. I played offensive line and running back. I played defensive end but then switched to linebacker when I was in junior high (at Homer)."

What do you like about playing linebacker, and why do you wear number 0?
"I like the physical play of line linebacker, and that you can see the play develop and be involved. I wore number 32, but I asked Coach Czart if I could wear number 0. Because a lot of linebackers in college and the NFL wear that number."

There are only two games left in the regular season, so I'll ask this. Which opponent did you enjoy playing the most this season?
"It was definitely this past week at Sandburg. It was a great feeling to go in and get a huge win. We lost to Homewood-Flossmoor, but they lost to Sandburg. So we feel like we could have beaten H-F."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart, who is also your position coach?
"He's taught me perseverance. Every practice is about going hard and getting better. He helps our defense get better every week and gets us ready. It's just great for him to be our coach."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Math, specifically AP calculus. Math has always been easy to me, and Mr. (Dan) Samuilis is my teacher. He helps when I need it, explains the notes well, and is a good teacher."

Do you plan to play football or wrestle in college?
"Yes, I'm looking to play football. I've been talking to a few D-ll schools, and I'm going to go on some visits. But I'm not going to sell myself short. I'm going to look at some D-l schools, go out, give it my best, and play well."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"Just learning and getting better every day. Lockport is a great school, and it's awesome to come in every day and know you are going to compete for something."
 

By Randy Whalen

Chris Miller is a senior running back for the Lockport Township football team. He had 165 yards and scored two touchdowns, including the game-winner on fourth down in overtime, in a 14-7 Homecoming victory over Naperville Central last Friday. He has 636 yards and 9 rushing touchdowns so far this season. 

How big was it to win last week's game?
"The win was definitely needed. It was a huge win for our program. (On fourth down) I'm glad our coaches had 100 percent faith in me and wanted to go for it from a yard out."

You exploded on the scene by coming out of nowhere, since you hadn't run the ball all season, and finished with 290 yards and five touchdowns in the final regular season game, a 36-32 victory at Homewood-Flossmoor. What was that whole game and experience like?
"It was a surreal moment. I never expected to run the ball that season. I ran the ball when I was younger, but last year on varsity, I was playing outside linebacker. But my uncle, John Sommese, was one of my biggest supporters and believed in me. I knew I'd be running back this season, so I worked my ass off in the offseason. "

Do you play any other sports?
"Yes, I wrestled last season and went to state. I also participated in track and field, running the 100 and 200-meter dashes. But that was mostly offseason work for football. I'm not sure if I will do track next spring."

What is your goal in wrestling this season?
"My goal is to place at state. Last season, I went 1-2 at state at 165 pounds. This season I plan to wrestle at 175 pounds."

So what is your favorite sport?
"I like the season of the sport that I'm in. So now it's football. But I've been playing football the longest. I love the feeling of having bonds with the team."

There are only three games left, but which opponent do you look forward to playing the rest of this season?
"Sandburg (this Friday, October 10, in Orland Park). They're in our backyard. They're 5-1, and my dad (Scott) went to Sandburg, and we play them in their house, so it's going to be fun."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"He's taught me to be an aggressive football player and to play with my heart. Before every game, he gives us an earful and a lot of motivation. You can tell by the fire in his eyes that he loves football."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Entrepreneurship. Mr. (Rodger) Ebert is the teacher. I like making and selling my products. I like all the kinds of stuff we do in the class."

Do you plan to play football or wrestle in college?
"I'd definitely go for football. I'm talking to a few schools, but I'd say I'd like to stay closer to home."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"I like how deep our tradition is. Our (assistant) coach Mark Carmen (Class of 1971) told us about when he played football here, how there were a bunch of hard-nosed guys. I'd like to think we are keeping that going."
 

By Randy Whalen

Colton Benaitis plays multiple positions for the Lockport Township football team. He returned to the lineup last Friday after missing the first four games with a broken collarbone and had nine tackles as well as the game-winning touchdown catch in a 20-17 victory at Naperville North.      

How big was it to win last week's game?
"We needed it big time. It was a huge momentum shift in everyone's demeanor. We feel good right now, and we will be rolling."

How did you break your collarbone?
"It was at a 7-on-7 tournament on June 28 in Florida. I chased a guy down, but tripped over my own guy, and that's how I did it. The worst part was sitting around and doing nothing all summer."

Do you play any other sports?
"I played baseball through sophomore year. Then I did track and field last year. I ran the 100 and 200-meter dashes. But I had more football speed than track speed. I won't be competing in track this spring, though, because I'm graduating early."

Why are you graduating early?
"I want to get to college at Central Michigan and start lifting and working out. I was able to graduate early by taking an extra class instead of a study hall."

What is it about the game of football that makes it the sport for you?
"Hitting someone. I just love the physical contact. I don't have any pain in my collarbone. I also broke my left ring finger last year (but still had 6 interceptions in 8 games). I feel when the ball is up in the air, it's mine, I'm going for it, and no one is going to stop me. I like to play defense more because I get to hit people."

What opponent do you look forward to playing the rest of this season?
"Sandburg (on Friday, October 10, in Orland Park). There's always something about playing them. I live in Homer and know a lot of people from over there. We didn't play them last year, and we want to take them down. I'd say that they're our biggest rival."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"Persistence and to have a short memory. That's the biggest thing. His pregame speeches are awesome. Just the motivation factor and the way he puts things into words."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Mythology class. Michael Sazama is the teacher. I've always been interested in the Greek and Babylonian Gods and stuff. So the class is interesting to me."

You're going to play Division 1 football at Central Michigan, which is great. But what made you decide to go there?
"The culture. The way everyone treated me there. I walked in and felt like it was family. It's in Mt Pleasant, which is a small town but a great town."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"The community, the fans, the number of people that come out to the games. We are also extremely blessed to have the facilities that we have."

By Randy Whalen

Owen Wilczak is a senior offensive lineman on the Lockport Township football team. He's playing the right guard position this season.

What do you take from last week's game?
"I think the game showed how we can compete. We put up the most points anyone has on (Lincoln-Way East) so far this season. Once our offense steps up, we can compete with anyone."

The Porters are now 1-3 on the season. What do you have to do to turn it around?
"We have to be on the same page. It gets in people's heads. Our offense needs to step up, and we all need to get faster on the ball."

Have you always played offensive line?
"I've played offensive line since freshman year. Before that, I played defensive line for the Homer Stallions. Then I made the switch to offensive line and got a lot better. Now I play right guard."

What is something about playing the position that most people don't know?
"People don't realize that you have to be you have to be one of the most athletic players on the field to play the position. I think it's one of the hardest positions on the field. You need speed and reaction time, and it's a very complex position."

Do you play any other sports? If not, what is it about football that makes it the sport for you?
"Freshman and the start of sophomore year, I did wrestling. But not the last two years. I also do power lifting. It's not an official sport, but we do have competitions at Lockport. This is my fifth year playing football. I didn't start until eighth grade. I love the component that you need 11 players and that everyone has to do their job."

What opponent do you look forward to playing the rest of this season?
"Sandburg (on Friday, October 10, in Orland Park). I want to see how they play on the varsity level. That's because we didn't play them last year, and it's going to be a good game."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned a lot. He teaches leadership and taking responsibility for yourself. I feel like I've been a leader on the offensive line."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Sociology. It's just cool learning about the social interactions and how they can change people. How society sets standards and interactions."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"I would love to play four more years in college. I love the sport. I've talked to a few small schools. I'm taking some time, and I'm going to get a highlight reel out there."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"Just the atmosphere. The whole community gets excited about it, and it brings everyone together. I love how the athletes are involved in a lot of events, and it's a lot of fun."

By Randy Whalen

Andre Labuda is a senior linebacker on the Lockport Township football team. He had a fumble recovery and numerous big tackles as the Porters' 28-13 home loss to Homewood-Flossmoor last Friday.

How do you regroup after last week's game?
"We just have to look past last week and go in with a positive mindset. Everyone has to do their best in practice and hope we can win."

Do you play any other sports? If not, what is it about football that makes it the sport for you?
"I just play football. I used to play basketball, but I switched to playing only football after eighth grade at Saints Cyril & Methodius School in Lemont. What makes football the best is the people, and it's the game I love the most. I have so much fun playing with my best friends. I started playing football in sixth grade."

Your brother, Adam, played at Lockport, too, graduating in 2023. How much of an influence did he have on you?
"Yes, Adam played basketball all four years at Lockport, but didn't play varsity football. But growing up, yes, he was a great influence on me, and I definitely looked up to him. He's now studying engineering at Marquette University." 

You have a unique last name. Is it Polish?"
"Yes, my dad was born in Poland. I was there when I was younger. I really would like to try to go again soon, I'm just not sure when."

What opponent do you look forward to playing the most this season?
"We are playing Lincoln-Way East this week, and I look forward to that. But I'm really looking forward to playing Sandburg (on Friday, October 10, in Orland Park). That's because we lost a close one (30-28) to them when they blocked a last-minute field goal the last time we played, two years ago. But right now we just have to focus on the week ahead."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"How to be a leader. He always tries his best to get us (as linebackers) the signals in the game. But (being the head coach), there are times he can't give us the call. So, either Drew Silzer or I has to do that."

Speaking of linebacker, which is what Coach Czart played in high school at Bolingbrook, what do you like about playing the position?
"I love being in on every play. I get to always be around the ball and make plays. I played every position when I was younger, but I've always loved defense because I can be around the ball."

What is your favorite class in school?
"Either my sports marketing class or my AP Chemistry. In sports marketing, we do a lot of projects, and I have a lot of good friends in both classes. My all-time favorite class was AP Physics last year. That's because it was a good challenge and I got to spend a lot of time learning."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"I'm unsure. If I play football, I'd like to be at an Ivy League school. I want to get a great education, and I'm concentrating more on what I do after college."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"The coaches and the people. I love the coaches and all the people you meet. I know that I'll be friends with a lot of the people that I meet from sports for the rest of my life."
 

By Randy Whalen

Adam Kozak is a senior wide receiver on the Lockport Township football team. He had nine receptions for 82 yards as the Porters had a heartbreaking 21-17 home loss to Lincoln-Way West last Friday.

What are your thoughts on last week's game?
"It was tough. I thought we prepared well, but came up short. We shot ourselves in the foot and didn't capitalize on the big moments. The only team that will beat us is ourselves."

You had nine receptions last week. Is that a career high?
"Yes. I've had more yardage, but not that many receptions. I was running my offensive routes hard, and I worked a lot to get open. It felt great to see my hard work pay off, and I tried to do what I could that was best for the team."

You play both football and baseball, as an outfielder, at Lockport. So which sport do you like better? 
"I love them both, but I'm going to college for baseball. However, that doesn't mean that I don't have the same mindset for football. I always give 110 percent. I'm here to make a statement with my brothers."

Which sport did you start playing first?
"I started playing both at the same time when I was younger. I just fell in love with both sports. Now I'm a senior, and I never put myself down or doubt myself. It's just playing sports with my brothers, my friends. I do my best in both sports."

In either sport, do you have a favorite moment in high school so far?
"Yes, this past May in baseball. I had to sit out for two games. But then I hit a leadoff home run in our Strike Out Cancer game (on May 17 against Minooka). It was great because I wanted to show that I was back, and it was my only home run of the season."

What opponent do you look forward to playing the most this season?
"Lincoln-Way East. It's always great to go against the top competition. I love that opportunity to play the top team in the state and show them what we are made of."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"A lot. A lot about the right way to play the game. Just always being involved with the plays and cheering on the team, no matter what. He says that you don't want to be the drain, you want to be the faucet."

What is your favorite class in school?
"My Issues Today class. It's part of social studies. It's about what's going on in the world, and it's a good thing to learn about. Dan Blaskevitz is the teacher."

You mentioned playing baseball in college. Where and why did you decide to go there?
"Yes, I've committed to Lewis University for baseball. I felt I had a better future in baseball. When I went there, I found it welcoming and a great landing spot for me. All I've heard about Lewis is great things."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"It's how the program worked you. There's nothing better than being a Porter. Put the right way into your work and win the right way. There are always great things here, and it's just awesome."

Ten Questions With Lockport Defensive Lineman Michael Pratt

By Randy Whalen

Michael Pratt is a senior defensive lineman. He had a big sack and was named the Defensive Player of the Week for the team, as the Lockport Township football team opened the season with a 34-0 win over Plainfield North last Friday.

How nice was it to get the opening win of the season?
"We came out very strong, mentally and physically. I always make sure my guys on defense are ready, and we made sure everyone was prepared on both sides of the ball."

What do you have to do to keep this up? 
"I'm just waiting for more and more games. We've been working hard all summer, and I'm expecting a lot of good things from us. Even with (senior defensive back) Colton Benaitis out for another couple of weeks, I just want to make sure that all my boys are balling out equally."

Do you play any other sports?
"During freshman and sophomore years, I played basketball and did shot and discus in track and field. But now I'm only playing football."

How long have you been playing football, and what makes it the sport for you?
"I was young, I was in second grade when I started playing. I played with the Joliet Ravens. I played offensive line, defensive line, running back, and even kicker. I just love the game. It's peaceful, and when I walk out on the field, my mind goes silent. I tune it all out, and it's just me and my boys playing football."

You lost a lot of weight. How did you do it?
"I weighed 280 as a freshman. Now I'm 235-240 pounds. There was a lot of working out. It's something I got in my head that I should go work out and not be lazy."

What opponent do you look forward to playing the most this season?
"I would say Lincoln-Way East. That's because I know what a challenge they are. They are going to bring a lot because of who they are. But we're going to be strong, solid, and hold our own."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned a lot. He's always a humble guy, and there's always a purpose behind what he says. If he yells at you, there's a purpose behind it, to make you better."

What is your favorite class in school?
"My sociology class. It's my first time taking it, and I like it. You learn more about human beings, the way they act, and why they act that way. It's very interesting."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"Yes, I do plan to play football. Right now, I have a few schools looking at me, including the University of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, plus Lindenwood University. I've been playing nose tackle this season, and I'm excited and looking forward to all of it."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"The coaches, the friendships you make, the bonds here. Being at Lockport gives you opportunities. Our school is great. You can get the help you need with anything here. It's just a great school."

By Randy Whalen

Brendan Mecher is a senior in his second varsity season. He started at quarterback during the last half of the season last year and returns as the starting quarterback for the Lockport Township football team this fall.

What is the goal for the team this season?
"The main goal is to win football games. I'd like to see us have a successful season, achieve a positive record, and make it into the playoffs. As an offense, we want to see each other grow and succeed, and push each other."

What's it going to take to do that? 
"We need everyone to buy into that mentality. Everyone has to do their 1/11 part. Everyone has to do their job."

How long have you been playing football?
"I started playing when I was seven at the Lockport Bo Dome. I stuck with it over the years at different positions. I've been all over the field, and I kind of always played the game."

You started last season at wide receiver and came in at quarterback. How much did that experience help you, and what do you like about playing quarterback?
"It's not the experience I wanted because Conley Pfeiffer went out. But I got five games in as the starting quarterback against the best teams. So that prepared me more than anything else could have. I started liking playing quarterback a lot more. The leadership of it is a great experience."

You also play baseball for Lockport. So, which sport do you like better and why?
"I've been asked this before, and it's football. It's just the bonding in the trenches, the stuff you don't get back the rest of your life. There's absolutely nothing better."

What have you learned from Lockport football coach George Czart?
"I've learned many things, but a big thing is to be a team. It's always 'we over me.' You have to have that to succeed."

What is your favorite class in school?
"My fifth-period Vietnam Era class. I took it as an elective social studies class. Mr. (Mike) Zaworski teaches it. History is my favorite subject; it's important to me."

What opponent are you looking forward to playing the most this season?
"Lincoln-Way West (at home in Week 2). That's because of the double overtime (40-39) loss to them last year. So we will be looking for a little revenge, a little spark."

Do you plan to play football in college?
"Yes, to play football is my main choice. Don't get me wrong, I'd play baseball if the opportunity is there. But I've talked to more colleges about playing football."

What is the best thing about being an athlete at Lockport?
"It has to be the community and overall fan support. There is just great support here. But it's also the friendship and the family aspect. I don't think you get that at a lot of other places."

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