August 25 Leo vs. Bishop Mac Final score: WIN VACATED: Ineligible players
September 1 at Walther Christian Final score: W 49-2
September 8 at Marmion Academy Final score: L 42-14
September 15 at DePaul Prep Final score: L 38-14
September 23 Leo vs. St. Laurence Final score: L 50-8
September 30 Leo vs. De La Salle Final score: L 48-6
October 6 at Joliet Catholic Final score: L 49-8
October 14 Leo vs. St. Francis Final score: L 42-6
October 19 at Marian Catholic Final score: L 47-0
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By Dan McGrath

Somebody must have neglected to inform Leo’s defense that the Lions’ football game was scheduled for Thursday night in this particular week.

A shortage of game officials has prompted the Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic co-op to schedule one game a week on Thursday night to ensure the availability of officials. Thus Leo found itself traveling to Chicago Heights for its season finale against Marian Catholic (4-5) on Thursday, Oct. 19. And its defense no-showed.

Celebrating Senior Night, the Spartans ran just 14 plays from scrimmage and still scored 47 points, burying the Lions (1-8) under a big-play barrage that produced a 47-0 victory. The dismal wet weather at Marian’s Dave Mattio Field was a perfect metaphor for Leo’s season-ending seven-game losing streak.

The Spartans led 19-0 before five minutes had been played, scoring on Moe Davis’ 67-yard run, Carter Magerski’s 29-yard scoot and Kaleb Isom’s 40-yard punt return.  

Before a running clock brought a merciful end to the slaughter, they’d get 80- and 12-yard runs from Tyler Lofton, a 29-yard scamper from Paul Frazer and a 31-yard hookup from Magerski to Isom. 

Who needs time of possession when you can score from anywhere on the field?

Twice Leo got inside the Marian 10-yard line on Marshawn Durr’s improvised scrambles, but holding penalties pushed the Lions back both times. They never did sniff the end zone, accumulating just 59 rushing yards and 14 through the air on a truly dreary evening.

 From a glass-half-full perspective, Leo returns its leading rusher (Javon Logan), receiver (Neil Anderson) and tackler (Nick Armour), plus two quarterbacks (Durr and Derrick Davis) who had occasional moments.

But there’s work to be done, and lots of it, if the Lions are to end a playoff drought that’s at 10 years and counting.