Travis Stamm has three TD catches, three INTs as Lyons tops Downers Grove South

WESTERN SPRINGS – If there was a thrown football Friday at Lyons Township, chances are senior Travis Stamm caught it.

The Lions’ starting wide receiver and cornerback had three touchdown catches and also three interceptions, including his second pick-six of the season, in their 63-20 second-round Class 8A playoff victory over Downers Grove South.

[ Photo store: Lyons Township vs. Downers Grove South football ]

“Overall, offense and defense, this is the greatest game I’ve ever had,” said Stamm, the four-year starter and Illinois State commit.

“I’m just glad that it came at a big moment. We always stress to peak at the right time and playoffs, that’s the time to play our best football all year.”

The Lions (11-0), who advance to the quarterfinals for only the third time, will play host to Naperville Central (10-1), a 31-28 winner over Fremd.

Downers South (8-3) only trailed 28-14 at halftime before the Lions unleashed a 28-point third quarter to create a running clock.

“We did some uncharacteristic things penalty-wise and just made some mistakes in the first half that we can clean up, overall I thought we had a strong second half,” LT coach Jon Beutjer said.

“(Stamm is) such a great football player. He had such a good night as a receiver too (besides his interceptions). He’s a good blocker. He’s fast, He’s athletic.”

Stamm had eight catches for 159 yards with TD catches of 21, 26 and 30 yards for the Lions’ second, fourth and sixth TDs.

His 18-yard interception return for a TD opened a 49-14 advantage. His first was among the biggest plays of the game.

On his first pass attempt, LT quarterback Dom Pisciotti was intercepted by the Mustangs’ Matthew Jacobs at the LT 32. On the next play, Stamm intercepted Downers South quarterback Dominic West’s bomb at the 4.

After a penalty, the Lions’ Danny Carroll had a 98-yard TD run for the game’s first score.

Pisciotti finished 12 for 15 with personal bests of 327 passing yards and 5 TDs. Carroll finished with 159 yards on 18 carries with another TD run of 11 yards for a 21-7 lead.

“It was a good play by that linebacker. We moved down from that (interception), our next-play mentality, just moving on,” Pisciotti said. “What sparked it was Carroll’s 98-yard touchdown run.”

The Mustangs tied the game 7-7 on two offensive plays, a 73-yard run by Kayden Smith and 7–yard TD run by Joseph Vieyra. The Lions scored TDs on their next three possessions but Keon Maggitt’s 96-yard kickoff return for a TD kept the Mustangs in sight at 21-14.

Smith rushed for 103 yards and West passed for 40.

“We didn’t turn the ball over very much this year. Those pick-sixes don’t help, and we struggled to run the ball,” Downers South coach Mark Molinari said.

“(Stamm is a) solid, very good player. Downers North’s got a few good players but he’s definitely one of the top kids that we’ve seen for sure.”

In the third quarter, Stamm’s second interception at the LT 33 was followed by a 67-yard TD pass play between Pisciotti and Mack Long. Piscotti later threw a 26-yard TD pass to Brady Rusk.

The Lions’ Tanner Rivera had the game’s last score with 38-yard interception return for a touchdown. Earlier in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs’ Gavin Powels blocked a punt and returned the ball 5 yards for a TD.

Stamm was a key part of the Lions’ 2022 team that lost in the quarterfinals. The Lions also lost in the quarterfinals in the six-class 6A playoffs of 1987, the last time they won the West Suburban Conference Silver outright until this season.

“That’s the target this week. We’ve got to make it to the semifinals,” Stamm said. “It’s back to square one. We’re 0-0 fighting every day and we’ve just got to keep moving forward.”

Making their fourth straight playoff appearance, the Mustangs had won seven straight, including their first playoff victory since 2011, and captured their third straight West Suburban Gold title.

“There’s some talent in the program. We’re just slowly getting back but this was a big step this year,” Molinari said. “I think you’re going to see Downers South in the second and third round the next couple of years consistently.”

Downers South played without injured starting nose guard Ryker Dudley. Lyons Township was without injured starting middle linebacker Pat Cheney, who remains day to day.