By Dan McGrath
The old “no good deed goes unpunished” aphorism is rarely applicable in football, but it was for the Leo Lions at St. Laurence on Thursday, April 1.
The Vikings were in search of a game after Benet Academy canceled on them for COVID-related reasons. Meanwhile, Leo’s scheduled Saturday game with St. Joe’s was up in the air; the Chargers have yet to play a game in this unusual spring season and have gone back and forth on whether to field a team.
So school administrators agreed to send the Leo varsity to St. Laurence on Thursday and a frosh-soph/JV team to Elmhurst College to face football-depleted St. Joe’s on Saturday.
No good deed …
St. Laurence was eager to pound on somebody after being pummeled by powerhouses from Joliet Catholic and Nazareth in its first two games, and Leo was its unwitting victim. The Vikings scored touchdowns on their first five possessions and added a defensive score for a 42-0 halftime lead that stood up as the final through a scoreless second half that included a running-clock final period, a splendid idea on an unseasonably cold spring evening.
Darius Wilson, a smooth senior quarterback adept at running the option, scooted 25 yards for one touchdown and hooked up with Aaron Wofford (61 yards) and Jalen Hamilton (33 yards) for TD passes. Matt Ochoa scored on runs of 22 and two yards, and linebacker Damien Rhoden brought a fumble back 30 yards for another score.
In pitching the shutout, the St. Laurence defense held the Lions to 3-for-19 passing and five first downs, two coming on penalties. Jalen Johnson managed 32 rushing yards on eight carries, but Leo finished with negative yardage for the evening because quarterback James E’Akels was dropped three times for 35 yards in losses.
The Lions are now 0-3, and the remaining schedule offers little relief with road games at Notre Dame and Fenwick and a Senior Night home finale vs. Marian Catholic.
No good deed …