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MORRIS – In what has become a familiar refrain this season, Morris got off to a fast start Friday night in the opening round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Jacob Swartz ran for four touchdowns in the first quarter - he finished with five - and he and his teammates cruised to a 56-6 win over the Tinley Park Titans.
Morris (10-0) won the coin toss, but deferred and kicked to Tinley Park. The defense asserted itself, with Carter Laudeman and Blaine Beshoar each recording a tackle for no gain, and forced a Titans punt. Morris took over at the Tinley Park 44.
Four runs by Swartz and a 17-yard pass from Carter Button to Ethan Mumbrue put the ball at the 11, and Swartz scored from there for a 7-0 lead. The defense again forced a three-and-out, with Morris taking over at its own 42. Button hit Mumbrue for a 31-yard gain, then Swartz ran for 16, 9 and 2 yards, the last going for another touchdown. Linebacker Connor Mettille then recovered a Tinley Park fumble and scored, but Morris was called for holding on the return and Morris took over at the 20. Swartz scored on the first play for a 21-0 lead with 2:41 still to play in the first.
“All the props to the offensive line,” Swartz said after running for 101 yards on 13 carries, all in the first half. “We came in with our normal game play, but with the weather we kept it on the ground. The run game was hot early, so we just stayed with it. The line gave me some great holes to run through.
“We knew we had to bring our ‘A’ game. It’s the playoffs. We were as prepared for this game as we were last week for the conference title game. We prepare for each game the same way.”
Morris offensive lineman Mason Stapleton said he and his linemates have been improving all year.
“I am proud of the way we have proven some people wrong,” Morris said. “And, it’s nice to know that if we open holes, then Jacob is going to get a lot of yards running as hard as he does.
“It was a good game, but we aren’t done yet.”
Morris’ defense forced and recovered another fumble, and five plays later, Swartz scored on a 13-yard burst to make it 28-0 with 3 seconds left in the first quarter.
After forcing Tinley Park to punt, Morris gave Griffin Zweeres a chance in the backfield, and he carried five times for 24 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown, to put Morris ahead 35-0. Morris’ Beshoar recovered a fumble and, on the second play, Swartz scored on a 17-yard run for a 42-0 lead. Morris forced another punt and on the second play, Carter Button threw a ball into the end zone. The pass bounced off of Mumbrue’s hands and fell into the waiting arms of teammate Jack Wheeler for a 28-yard touchdown and a 49-0 lead, which Morris took into halftime.
“Our team motto has been to start fast and play physical,” Morris coach Alan Thorson said. “The kids did that tonight. Usually when we win the toss, we take the ball because we want to score first, but tonight we decided to let the defense set the tone. The entire defense played outstanding tonight.
“The offensive line knew that Tinley Park had a player [Carlos Hazelwood] going to Northern Illinois, so they took that as a challenge. They have felt they have something to prove all year. And, Jacob Swartz and Griffin Zweeres both ran the ball well. It was a great way to start the playoffs.”
Tinley Park got its lone score on the first drive of the second half, when Johnathon Collier scooped up a Morris fumble and returned it 30 yards to cut the score to 49-6. Morris got its final TD when sophomore Caeden Curan broke a tackle in the backfield, reversed direction and went 13 yards for a touchdown.
Morris will play the winner of Saturday’s game between 7-2 Thornton Fractional North and 6-3 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin. If TF North wins, the game will be at Morris, and if Sacred Heart wins, it will be in Springfield.