The Lane Tech Champions (0-1, 0-0) opened the season with an unusual 11:00 a.m. home game against Glenbrook North Spartans (1-0, 0-0) falling short 29-0. They were just a little out of sorts from the early start. The strong wind blowing directly off Addison Street would be a factor all day.
A GBN possession midway through the second quarter would prove something of a turning point. With the Champions down 8-0 after giving up an early touchdown and a safety, GBN drove down the field running in a touchdown only to have it called back on a holding penalty.
On the next pay, another offensive holding penalty. First down and goal from the 28 for GBN. The play after that, a sack.
On second and goal from the 39, GBN got a four-yard gain on the ground.
Third and goal on the 35, the Spartans’ 6’6”, 210 pounds tight end and Northwestern commit, Patrick Schaller, got free in the middle of the field for a 27 yard catch down to the 12.
On the next play, the Spartans’ quarterback scored on a fourth down keeper around the left end from 12 yards out.
Despite having GBN backed up 2nd and goal at the 39-yard line, the Champions could not hold. It was just a kick in the head. The game was different after that.
GBN added two more scores in the second half. The Champions could not get another going on offence.
After the game, Lane Tech head coach Dedrick Dewalt was not pleased.
“It’s been a tough week. We only practiced one day this week. We just couldn’t get into rhythm. That’s still no excuse. When we did get some rhythm, we turned the ball over. High snap over the quarterback, takes us twenty yards back. Uncharacteristic mistakes that my football team normally doesn’t have,” Dewalt said.
“We put the onus on our coaches too. We’ve got to put the kids in a position to be successful. I don’t feel as a coaching staff we did that today. In addition to the kids making mistakes, we did not do our best as a coaching staff. That falls on me. The second and forty should have been a different defense called.”
Last year’s Wing T offense with its three yards and a cloud of dust ball control is mostly gone. Coming out of the huddle, the Champions fall into it at the line of scrimmage but they eventually shift out of it into a spread shotgun and at times even a pistol offence.
“We’ve got to put some drives together and score some points,” Dewalt continued. That’s what was lacking at Lane Stadium late Saturday morning. The Champions had good runs and completed passed and moved the ball in the first half. They just couldn’t string them together into a scoring drive.
Dewalt was probably too hard on himself accepting the blame for forces out his control as coaches do. Nevertheless, the Champions have work to do. There is a core of champions there. They need to find a rhythm. Dewalt is just the conductor for such a job.
Next week Thornton Fractional South comes to Lane Stadium to face Lane. Legendary coach Bob Padjen brings his Red Wolves to Lane Stadium after having lost to Hammond Central 33-6.
