Pirates reverse field, top Leyden

Everything was going Leyden's way in Saturday's West Suburban football game against visiting Proviso East.

The Eagles took a 7-0 lead with 9:53 left in the first half on Angel Maldonado's 4-yard touchdown run. The drive capped a 70-yard drive in six plays.

Meanwhile, Leyden's defense was shutting down the Pirates explosive offense.

But then things changed.

Forcing Proviso East to punt from its 30-yard line, the Eagles mishandled the punt with Proviso East recovering.

Five plays later quarterback David Crowder spun in from the one.

Crowder threw a 2-point conversion pass for an 8-7 lead and the Pirates rolled to a 35-7 win in Northlake.

"I don't know what happened," Eagles coach Tom Cerasani said. "We controlled both lines. That punt and two kickoff returns that we fumbled were back-breakers. When they recovered the punt, maybe that was the spark they needed. We just couldn't keep up with them."

The Pirates (4-2, 3-1) recovered the fumble on the ensuing kickoff.

Crowder (9-of-17, 213 yards, 1 interception and 3 touchdowns) connected for a 34-yard scoring pass to Antoine Lewis for a 14-7 lead with 5:00 left in the half.

Crowder connected with Lewis again with 3:02 left for am 11-yard touchdown pass and 20-7 lead.

Darnell Swanigan scored on a 22-yard run for Proviso East in the third quarter. Crowder connected with Corey Copper for a school-record 97-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter.

"The fumble recovery was the spark that we needed," Crowder said. "Coach told us at halftime that we were playing lazy at halftime. Our defense really helped carry us."

The Eagles managed just 120 yards of offense. Maldonado led the Eagles (3-3, 2-2) with 92 yards in 23 attempts.

"We really came out lackluster," Pirates coach Aaron Peppers said. "They put it to us early. Once we got some traps working we were able take advantage of their corners."