Crystal Lake South runs over Bloom

It's simple when you do the math.

The running back tandem of senior Corey Sheehan and sophomore Kyle Leva just adds up for Crystal Lake South.

The pair ran roughshod over visiting nonconference opponent Bloom Township on Saturday afternoon in a 42-12 victory, to help the Gators improve to 2-1. Sheehan rushed for 186 yards on 26 carries and 4 touchdowns, while Leva contributed 141 yards on 13 carries and a pair of scores. He also added 22 yards receiving on 2 catches.

Grand total, the two were responsible for 349 of the Gators' 388 total yards - or about 90 percent - and all the scoring, except for extra points.

More importantly though was the fact that the two almost single-handedly avenged a defeat to the Trojans last season - and set their own team up perfectly for its crosstown rivalry game Friday night at Crystal Lake Central.

It didn't take long for Sheehan and Leva to assert themselves Saturday.

"I think it was the first snap - the first snap of the ball. We took it right to them," Sheehan said. "We've been working together, keeping our linemen up and making sure we were bringing the ball down the field."

Added Leva: "We felt like from the beginning we were all on the same page."

And how. After South recovered a fumble on Bloom's opening drive, the two teamed to drive 50 yards in 5 plays, culminating in Leva's 9-yard run up the middle with 9:28 left.

When the Trojans' ensuing drive went nowhere, they did it again, this time taking 3 plays to cover 49 yards, with Sheehan dashing into the right corner for a 10-yard score at 6:14.

And with 3:26 left in the opening quarter and the Gators up 14-6, it was another 3-play drive, covering 32 yards this time, with Sheehan sweeping into the right corner of the end zone.

Just like that, South was up 21-6.

South coach Chuck Ahsmann was particularly pleased with Sheehan's efforts, but was he impressed? Well …

"That's the kind of day we expect out of him," he said. "We kept him off defense a little bit which helped him stay fresh, I think."

And Leva?

"We really like him," Ahsmann said. "He's kind of a glider, but we're excited about him."

Sheehan and Leva would put the game away at the end of first half and the beginning of the second. The former scored on a 5-yard run with 32 seconds left in the second quarter, while the latter added a 9-yard scoring scamper to start the second half.

That made the remainder of the contest pretty much academic, but credit should go to the South defense, which picked off Bloom backup quarterback Juan Green twice in the second half, and sacked him 3 times. All told, the Gators intercepted 4 passes by Bloom quarterbacks, including 1 in each half by senior linebacker Drew Murtaugh.

Ahsmann said the secret ingredient to the Gators' potent running attack is an improving offensive line, anchored by senior center Quinn McCoy and senior right guard Dylan Kornhauser.

"Our offensive line is coming around," he said. "We've got a freshman at left guard, Trevor Keegan. I think the more they more they play, the better they are going to be playing together. We're happy with how they did."

That likely adds up to a tough go of it for the rest of the Fox Valley Conference.