Lincoln-Way Central’s ground attack gets everyone into the act

If you are a fan of old-fashioned, in-your-face, running football, then Lincoln-Way Central’s 49-28 win over Hoffman Estates in the second round of the Class 7A playoffs was for you.

But, if you like seeing multiple personnel groupings and formations – two factors more associated with the passing game – then the Knights had you covered there, too. They didn’t use the hockey-style line change substitutions in and out of the backfield in order to get their passing game going, though. They didn’t need to.

Out of the 48 offensive plays Lincoln-Way Central ran, they threw it just three times. The rest of the game was spent on the ground, and that was just fine with the Knights.

After missing his team’s opening-round playoff win with an ankle injury, senior Tyler Tulk returned to the lineup and announced his presence with authority, finishing with 250 yards and five touchdowns on 17 carries. Teammate Luke Tingley carried 17 times and ended up with 126 yards and a touchdown.

Several times in the second half, the Knights lined up in the Maryland I, which is a traditional I formation, but with another blocking back in between the fullback and halfback. That was the formation that saw the 6-foot-2, 215-pound Tingley get the ball most of the time and the play was a quick-hitter going right into the teeth of the defense.

When Tulk got the ball, he was generally alongside quarterback Drew Woodburn and took the handoff moving toward one sideline or the other before finding a hole and cutting upfield for big gains. Several times, he also took the snap directly, leaving the defense confused as to who had the ball.

“I had never scored five touchdowns in a game before,” Tulk said. “I missed the first-round game, so I just wanted to come in and do whatever I could to help the team. It was a great experience.”

But, with all the personnel and formations changing behind the line of scrimmage, it was the five up front that stayed the same and opened holes, no matter who had the ball. The offensive line of left tackle Chris Beal (6-4, 275), left guard Ethan Toosley (6-2, 245), center Gavin Charnley (6-4, 235), right guard Haydar Akel (6-2, 260) and right tackle Pat Sammon (6-5, 250) were a human wall, giving Tulk and his backfield mates ample protection to keep the chains and the clock moving.

“The offensive line was amazing,” Tulk said. “They really did their job and it made my job easier. I just had to get behind them, see where the holes were at and make my cut.

“We use a lot of formations, and that gives other teams a lot to prepare for. We know what to expect, but they don’t.”

As good as the offense was for the Knights, the defense was equally impressive. Until the late stages of the fourth quarter, Lincoln-Way Central kept Minnesota-bound quarterback Nathan Cleveland in check. Cleveland had precious little time to throw most of the night, and when he did get out of the pocket to scramble, he found far less room to roam than he had been accustomed to. Central’s Carick Richards also intercepted a pass that he returned to the Hawks’ 10-yard line to set up one of Tulk’s TD runs.

“I actually didn’t see a lot of our offensive plays because I am usually talking to the defense on the sideline when we have the ball,” Central coach Dave Woodburn said. “I give all the credit to our offensive coaching staff. They get the guys ready, and the guys go out there and execute. When we can pound the football, that’s a recipe for success.

“Defensively, we wanted to make sure we knew where No. 3 [Cleveland] was at all times. He is a heck of a talent, and our defense did a heck of a job of containing him.”

The Knights have reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017 and can advance to the semifinals for the first time as Lincoln-Way Central with a win over SouthWest Suburban rival Bradley-Bourbonnais. They last were a semifinalist in 2000, the final year before the opening of Lincoln-Way East and the splitting of the district. Earlier this season, the Knights beat the Boilermakers 28-6.