By Dan McGrath

Saturday’s Leo-Amundsen football game was more like a lively middleweight scrap than a heavyweight slugfest, and with clever quarterback Elmir Geka in charge, the Vikings piled up just enough points to win by decision, 13-12, on a postcard-perfect football afternoon at Winnemac Park.

Adrian Zepeda’s second field goal of the game, from 34 yards on the last play of the first half, was the difference. Earlier, the Lions had gifted their hosts 10 points by fumbling away their first two possessions, setting up Sam Macaluso’s 2-yard TD run and a Zepeda field goal from 30.

There were none of the “chunk plays” that undid Leo in its opener at Genoa Kingston; in fact, Amundsen wouldn’t score in the second half. But the Vikings frustrated the Lions with a ball-control approach that kept Leo’s offense off the field – the Vikings ran 62 scrimmage plays to Leo’s 43.

Geka was the catalyst, running 10 times for 82 yards and completing 9 of 18 passes for 87 more. Running back Reggie Mitchell needed 24 carries to amass 66 yards, but working in tandem with Geka, he kept the chains moving.

The first of Amundsen’s two fourth-quarter possessions told the story of the game. A methodical 13-play drive covered only 39 yards, but took more than eight minutes off the clock. When Nick Armour pounced on Mitchell’s fumble after a mistimed handoff at Leo’s 34-yard line, 2:35 remained. The Lions trailed by one. But two incompletions, a one-yard scramble and a bounced snap on fourth down gave the ball back to the Vikings, and they ran out the clock.

The Lions might have asked more of Javon Logan, whose 13 carries produced 78 yards and an 11-yard touchdown that brought Leo within 13-12 in the third quarter. Derrick Davis’ 44 yards included a 22-yard TD scamper in the second. But he was just 4-for-10 passing for 41 yards, 18 of which were negated by two sacks, as the Lions failed to generate much in the passing game.

Leo’s frosh-soph team approved to 2-0 with a 34-0 thumping of Amundsen In the preliminary game. Cam Mosley scored two touchdowns.

Now 0-2 against a schedule that doesn’t get any easier, Leo is back on the South Side on Friday, Sept. 13 to face St. Pat’s at St. Rita’s Cronin Field in the Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference opener for both teams. The Shamrocks are 1-1, having dropped a 15-13 decision to Notre Dame before bouncing back to bury Elgin Larkin 39-0.

Cronin Field is at 78th and Western on the St. Rita campus. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

An earlier version of this story had the Leo-St. Pat’s game taking place at St. Pat’s. The game is at St. Rita. Leo regrets the error.

The schedule:

Fri., Sept. 13 – St. Patrick, 7 p.m.*
Fri., Sept. 20 – at Marian Catholic, 7:30 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 27 – at St. Laurence, 7:30 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 5 – De La Salle, 1 p.m.**
Fri., Oct. 11 – St. Rita, 7:30 p.m.*
Fri., Oct. 18 – at Notre Dame of Niles, 7 p.m.
Sat., Oct. 26 – Marmion, 1 p.m.*

* home games at St. Rita’s Cronin Field, 78th and Western
** Homecoming