Kenwood Handles Payton 39-7 for Lead in CPL Metro

[A preview of my article this week in the Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

It was a long penalty filled game but Kenwood’s defense, particularly, it defensive line simply took about what the Playton Grizzlies wanted to do. Payton’s athletics on offense were able to wear down the Grizzlies defense, move the ball and score. The Broncos defeated Payton 39-7 Saturday afternoon at Lane.

Did I write “penalty filled?” It seemed there were times in the second quarter that there was a penalty on every play.

“You would have to ask the referee about that,” said Kenwood head coach Chris Goffer when asked about the large number of penalties.

Despite the repeated Broncos penalties, the game turned early in the second quarter. With the Broncos up 14-0, Kenwood senior defensive end Kameron Love, rushed the Payton quarterback Thomas Fritchett.

“He left un unblocked. You can’t leave me unblocked. I'm gonna go,” said Love said. Payton should have blocked him.

“I just wanted to get the ball back for the team. I thought I have to a make big hit so I can get the ball,” Love continued. Love hit Fritchett knocking the back toward the line.  

“We thought it was a screen so we all dropped back. Kam [Love] came all free and got there in time to make the play. He got there fast,” said Kenwood senior defensive tackle Ajani Brown.

Kenwood defensive tackle Dameon Norman picked up the ball and rumbling, stumbling and bumbling got down to the Payton 3-yardline just shy of a big score.

Kenwood quarterback Kenyonte Louis finished with a 3-yard keeper to make the score 20-0 with almost the whole second quarter to play.

Kenwood’s defense dominated the rest of the second quarter. The defensive line simply took Payton out of what they wanted to do.

“We were watching a lot of film. They like to do a lot of trick plays. We knew they want to run a lot of counters.  We were reading the pulls really well and we were getting a lot of stops on the interior,” said Brown.

“Amazing. I love my d-line. You win championship for defense, especially up front. The second quarter is our power quarter. We like to turn it up a little bit, turn it up a notch. Once we got a good read what's going on or visibly and defensely. You like to turn it up again in the second quarter,” said Kenwood coach Chris Goffer.

The Grizzlies rallied a little late in the third quarter. With the help of more Kenwood penalties, the Grizzlies moved the ball down the field mixing in passes on the sidelines and runs up the middle. Payton senior running back Sam Merrill scored from two yards out to make the score 27-7. Plenty of heart by the Grizzles but too little, too late.

Kenwood has two games remaining to settle the Public League Metro. Morgan Park (5-2, 5-0) next Saturday and Phillips (2-5, 1-4) the following Saturday. 

Head coach Goffer was understandable cautious in speaking about the upcoming games and the playoffs but did talk about the status of his team.

“I don't like to say just the Public League. I think we're the class in 7A. I preach to my boys; we want to win city first obviously and be the best team in the city. Next week will have that chance against Morgan Parks to kind of prove that. Then we move on to the playoffs, but we want to be considered more than just a Public League team. We want to be a power in the state.”

Despite the loss, Payton has an excellent record and will enter the 5A playoffs with a high seed given what could be a 7-2 record.

Payton Tops Lane 16-13 for Dominance on Northside

[Preview of my article in Inside—Booster.]

By Jack Lydon

Walter Payton College Prep may be the best high school on the northside of Chicago and it might also have the best football team as well. Record wise at least, one can’t argue with that. It doesn’t get better than 5-0 on the season. The Grizzlies defeated the Lane Tech Champions 16-13 Saturday afternoon at Lane Stadium.

Pretty much everyone knows takeaways and defense produces wins. That’s what the Grizzlies did on Saturday. It might been a little coaching too.

“We knew they struggle passing the ball, so we concentrated on stopping the run,” said Payton defensive coordinator Frank Dickerson.

The Grizzlies did not completely stop the Lane’s running attack. Senior tailback/quarterback/wildcat Vernon Cole still scored two touchdowns, a four-yard keeper early in the second quarter and a 53-yard keeper up the middle late in the fourth quarter. But Payton pretty much stopped everything else.

“I saw his eyes the whole way. He was staring there. We have been watching film. The only thing he has been throwing is inside slants and inside posts. I sat back, saw the ball and it was right there,” said Payton senior safety and running back Sam Merrill.

Merrill picked out the slant pass in the middle of the field and returned to ball to Lane’s 22 yard-line. That set up a one-yard touchdown by Payton quarter back Thomas Fritchett at the 7:52 mark in the third which gave the Grizzlies a 16-7 lead.

The Grizzlies defense continued to styme the Champions throughout the remainder of the third including another interception in Lane territory this time by senior cornerback John Seward. That takeaway did not lead to points but the ensusing long Payton possession took time off the clock.

Lane rallied with Cole’s 53-yard touchdown late in the fourth to make the score 16-13. And the Champions had a chance to tie with a field goal attempt with 30 seconds to play but the kick sailed left of the uprights.

Payton’s first year coach Calvin Clark was fired up after the game.

“It means a lot. At the end of the day, we prepared for this moment. We talk about mental toughness. We’ve got mental toughness. We expect to win,” said Payton head coach Calvin Clark. This is Clark’s first year at Payton. He previously was the head coach at Sullivan High School in Rogers Park.

Lane also has a first-year head coach. Lane’s Deshon Conley was disappointed with the turnovers by his Champions.

“The scoop and score fumble was probably the deciding score of the game,” Conley said. In the first quarter, Lane quarterback Robert Suteu directed a swing pass to his right. The receiver appeared to drop the pass but it was ruled a reception and fumble by the referee standing right next to the play in the backfield.

Payton quarterback Thomas Fritchett, who also plays defensive end, scooped up the fumble, ran it in 2o yards to give the Grizzlies a 10-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.

“Payton came prepared. We were a little lax today. It went against us,” Conley added.

This game went a long way to deciding the leading teams on the Northside. Both Lane and Payton came into the game at 4-0. Taft is 1-4. Lincoln Park is 3-2 but with losses to Whitney Young and Lane. Amundsen is struggling at 2-3. Payton can rightfully claim northside ascendency.

It gets no easier for the Grizzlies with Kenwood, King and Westinghouse to finishe the season. But for now, this week, Payton College Prep may be, just possibly, the best high school football team, Public League anyway, on the northside.