Lakes keeps moving
Lakes never got the memo that it might take some time to build a successful football program.
The Eagles clinched their third straight playoff berth and fourth in six years as a varsity program by blowing out host North Chicago 42-8 in a North Suburban Prairie game Friday night.
"We have had a full varsity team with seniors and juniors for six years," said Lakes coach Luke Mertens, who has been the Eagles coach for all seven years. "We are proud of where we're at and we want to get that seventh win next week."
The Eagles improved to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the NSC Prairie. North Chicago fell to 1-7 overall and 1-4 in the NSC-Prairie.
Lakes scored 21 points in the first quarter and 21 more in the second quarter to build a 42-0 lead.
Eagles running back Direll Clark led the onslaught by rushing for 150 yards and scoring 3 touchdowns.
"He is a tough runner and a tough man to bring down," Mertens said. "He runs hard and does a great job for us."
The Eagles struck in the first quarter when Chris Hoffman threw a 67-yard TD pass to Justin Bergeron.
"It was as screen pass to Justin," Hoffman said. "It was a normal screen pass and the linemen came up and made some blocks, and Justin was able to score."
Hoffman completed 2 of 5 passes for 71 yards.
"We saw that (North Chicago) was going to blitz against us a lot during this game," Mertens said. "We knew that on a third down and long that they were going to come at us. We ran a screen and (Bergeron) did a great job by finishing the play."
Clark's first touchdown was from 87 yards out with 6:23 left.
"I just cut back and everybody was blocking downfield and it was right there," said Clark, who didn't play the second half. "I was just happy to see the guys who don't play that much see some action."
Clark's second score was from 3 yards out late in the quarter and his third came from 30 yards out early in the second.
Andrew Spencer scored from 9 yards out, and two plays later, after Troy Crow intercepted a pass on North Chicago's 35-yard line and returned it 18 yards, Bergeron scored his second touchdown to complete the Eagles scoring.
The Eagles limited North Chicago to only 9 yards in the first half and 32 yards in the second half.
They also recovered 3 fumbles and intercepted 3 passes. Levi Haymaker and Drew Recker also intercepted North Chicago passes.
The Warhawk crowd finally got something to cheer about when Arnold Shead threw a touchdown pass to Abel Williams. Shead connected with Williams for the 2-point conversion with 9:24 in the fourth quarter.
"I had run a pattern against their weak side," said Williams. "We didn't quit as a team. We stuck together and we were able to score."