No. 1 Lincoln-Way East puts in another powerhouse performance against Lockport

FRANKFORT – It was clear after about eight minutes Friday night that top-ranked Lincoln-Way East would beat Lockport. The only question was by how much.

The answer: 47-14, with the final 10-plus minutes played under a running clock. The Griffins’ sixth on-field victory of the season – they are 7-0 including a Week 2 forfeit – was another in a collection of dominating performances this year for the No. 1 team in 8A.

It’s not just offense that makes the Griffins go. Their defense held the Porters (3-4, 1-2 Southwest Valley Blue) to 133 yards from scrimmage. Aside from Lockport’s first drive of the second half – which accounted for 74 of those yards, the last one from Rayden Cherco for a touchdown – the Porters were hamstrung all night, all by a defense that has learned on the go.

“Our D-line is where it starts,” East coach Rob Zvonar said. “We’re not a huge group in the back seven. I told them they had to be the Seven Angry Dwarfs. And with the offensive potential, the firepower, we know we’ve got a really good chance. When you get the ball back to No. 13 (Jonas Williams), you always have a chance to score.”

It was 33-0 at the half, the margin not wider only because of a rare three-and-out on East’s second series. But the Griffins scored touchdowns on their first, third and fourth series plus another touchdown late in the second quarter, an early safety and a half-ending field goal.

In other words, the usual star-studded performance, led by Williams, the Oregon recruit who finished with four touchdown passes among his 17 completions on 25 attempts for 276 yards.

The Griffins dominated line play from the start, and that led to both a generous amount of time for Williams to work his passing magic and for the Porters’ offense, led by Brendan Mecher, to be pressured. Mecher was most harried when the Griffins’ second drive was stopped on the Lockport 1. Lincoln-Way East’s defense poured in, Colton Zvonar sacking Mecher for a safety and a 9-0 lead with 3:58 left in the first quarter.

Williams’ three first-half touchdown passes were to Zion Gist (40 yards), Talan White-Hatch (20 yards) and Trey Zvonar (27 yards). Keegan Ruane caught a 26-yard touchdown pass with 10:35 remaining to make it 47-7 and trigger the running clock, a common occurrence this year.

“I feel as a team we can only progress on our own,” Trey Zvonar said. “Yes, we have lulls, but I think the sky’s the limit for this team. It’s on us to try to figure it out.

“It’s been a fun year, but there’s still work to be done down the road.”

Mecher’s bright spot was a 53-yard dash down the left sideline late in the first half, but two plays later Colton Zvonar sacked him again, and this time forced a turnover.

Adam Kozak, who caught three Mecher passes for 29 yards, raised the Porters’ hopes briefly with a 93-yard kickoff return touchdown, his second of the year, just after the running clock commenced.

“They’re a tough team,” Kozak said. “We could have prepared a little more, but we played our [butts] off all game. I didn’t see anyone put their heads down.

“They all run to the ball,” Kozak said of the Griffins. “They have a passion for the game. They keep their foot on the gas. On the kickoff return, I saw three guys to my right and three to my left, all diving for the ball.”