Sophomore Matthew Harris Stars Again in LT Fantastic Finish Win

After a roller-coaster ride of a game, it was mission accomplished for the boys in blue as the Lyons Township High School varsity football team emerged victorious 35-28 over Downers Grove North High School.

After handily defeating Addison Trail High School on the road one week ago, LT was looking to inspire the home crowd in their return to Bennet Field Friday night.

Head coach Kurt Weinberg highlighted the importance of the team winning its opening conference game of the season.

"Any win in the [West] Suburban Silver Conference is great," Weinberg said. "It was a two point game last year, and we always knew it was going to be a close game."

It was a game filled with big plays, and LT got things started early in the first quarter when senior playmaker Mark Sewall opened up the Downers Grove defense for a 36 yard carry, putting LT in good position for a Matt Cotiguala field goal a few plays later.

Downers Grove was a persistent side all evening, however, and the Trojans quickly responded with a good drive of their own ending with a touchdown.

The away side was able to celebrate its lead for mere seconds, as LT's lone sophomore Matthew Harris took the kickoff 88 yards to the house. 10-7 Lyons.

The second quarter began with another Cotiguala field goal, only to be answered by another DGN touchdown to give the away squad the lead.

But as if like clockwork, Harris collected the impending kickoff and would have had a second kick-return TD if a needless holding penalty wasn't spotted behind him.

Fortunately for the Lions, the penalty didn't matter and senior quarterback Brian Kelley took the ball in for the score himself a few plays later. 20-14 in favor of LTHS at halftime.

From that point forward, Downers Grove refused to kick to the underclassman, and having gained 156 yards in two returns, Weinberg sees something unique in the evening's all-star.

"He's going to be doing just about everything for us these next two years," Weinberg said. "He's a special player and a really special kid."

On defense, Harris amassed three tackles, two for a loss, while junior linebacker Will Konstant ran riot for five tackles and a whopping 14 assisted tackles.

LT's third quarter was less than optimal, as a Kelley interception led to a Downers score. The home side's secondary was exposed later in the quarter and the result was eventually another touchdown. Trojans 28, Lions 20 with less than five minutes to play.

Kelley admits that in, the end, staying focused was a group effort.

"We helped each other by continuing to keep one another focused," Kelley said. "There was a lot of positive reinforcement that contributed to our never die easy attitude. It's all mental, so we got it in our heads that we'd win."

Such encouragement clearly worked, as a comeback drive was engineered by the quarterback Kelley, and his second rushing score of the night followed by a successful two-point conversion leveled the scoreline at 28-28 with 2:15 left.

Overtime seemed a possible outcome until a Downers Grove pass was intercepted by who else but the youngster Harris.

With the clock winding down, Kelley found senior receiver Dylan Fiedler in the endzone to give LT its first lead of the quarter.

DGN fans were silenced in disbelief as the Lions student section was in ecstasy, 35-28 the final score.

"We like the character of our team and our guys," Weinberg said. "I didn't say anything specific to get us back in it. We had some momentum swings, but our guys just stayed with it."

Next up: arch rival Hinsdale Central High School at home in the annual "blackout game," which Kelley insists is a meet vital to the Lions' season.

"We have had [Hinsdale] Central circled on our calendar since last year," Kelley said. "It's always what makes or breaks our season, so you can be sure we'll come out strong."