Sycamore dominates in all phases in 49-0 win over La Salle-Peru

SYCAMORE – The Sycamore Spartans put on another impressive performance with their fifth 40-point-plus win of the season, this time against the La Salle-Peru Cavaliers.

The Spartans controlled the game in all three phases in their 49-0 victory on Friday in a Kishwaukee River/Interstate 8 White Division game.

“Winning is hard,” Sycamore coach Joe Ryan said. “You don’t win the games on Friday night.  That’s just the outcome. You win the games through your offseason and your preparation and these guys have done a great job.”

For the offense, it was the Tyler Curtis show. The senior running back ran wild for four touchdowns, including two 50-plus yard scores.

“We put him at fullback tonight, which is where he was last year, so he felt a little more comfortable in that position,” Ryan said. “I thought he hit it really well tonight and the guys blocked really well for him.”

“We put him at fullback tonight, which is where he was last year, so he felt a little more comfortable in that position. I thought he hit it really well tonight and the guys blocked really well for him.”

—  Joe Ryan, Sycamore coach on Tyler Curtis

Curtis scored his first touchdown on a 1-yard dive in the first quarter, which was set up by a 19-yard run by Dylan Hodges.

“Everything was working up front,” Curtis said. “They paved the way and I just ran right behind them.”

That touchdown put the Spartans (8-0, 7-0) up 14-0 with 4:39 left in the first quarter.

The Spartans scored first on the previous possession on a 54-yard run by quarterback Burke Gautcher.

Curtis scored again in the second quarter on a 3-yard rush up the middle after setting the Spartans up at first-and-goal on a 20-yard run.

After the Cavaliers (4-4, 2-3) fumbled on the next possession, Curtis broke through the line on the next play and sped 58 yards to the end zone.

That score put the Spartans up 28-0 heading into halftime.

On the Spartans’ second play from scrimmage in the second half, Curtis again broke through the line and dodged defenders all the way down the field for a 73-yard touchdown.

“It’s exciting for sure,” Curtis said. “It’s definitely nerve-wracking because I don’t want to get tripped up right at the end at the goal line. We made it work today.”

Cutis finished the night with 193 yards on 15 carries in only three quarters of action.

The Spartan defense and special teams also played strong with big plays from senior Tristan Countryman.

With the Cavaliers punting from midfield, Countryman burst into the backfield to get a hand on the punt for the block that set the Spartans up in Cavalier territory.

Countryman also had one of the three sacks for the Spartans on the night.

“I’ve been wanting a sack for the whole season, so that’s pretty nice, but a blocked punt, there aren’t many of those,” Countryman said.

Countryman’s sack came on third-and-10 for a loss of nine yards.

The Spartans scored on their next possession.

For the Cavaliers, it was tough to get anything going on offense, but they did have some success passing across the middle of the field.

“We moved the ball here and there, but we have to get better,” L-P coach Jose Medina said. “We’ve got to find ways to put points on the board.”

The Cavaliers still have a chance of making the playoffs if they beat Kaneland in Week 9 at home.