[Preview of this week’s piece in Inside—Booster.}
By Jack Lydon
Lane Tech throttled South Elgin 33-14 Friday night to win their second IHSA 8A playoff game this year. Rebounding from 1-3 record to open the season, the Champions are a seven-game win streak, including two playoff games.
This game was personal for the Champions.
“Everyone here remembers South Elgin. Their first [playoff] loss,” said Lane Tech senior middle linebacker and tight end Aiden Boywid. In 2023, Lane made the same trek out to South Elgin for a playoff game. South Elgin pounded the Champions 55-6 in the 8A opening round.
“I was a freshman. I took the biggest hit of my life. I pulled my quad. I got absolutely embarrassed. But four years later, it feels absolutely great to get that back,” Boywid said.
It wasn’t just Boywid.
“My freshman year we lost 55-6 here. On this very field. So it was very personal. I just wanted to come out here and show them who Lane Tech is,” said senior quarterback Blake Perkins.
“We prepared all week. We knew what we were up against. We knew what looks we were going to get. We capitalized. It was a little chippy in the first half. We were a little inconsistent in positions. We turned it around. We started playing Lane Tech football. That’s all we can do,” added Perkins.
The Champions played like it from the start. Second year head coach Deshon Conley and offensive coordinator, Titus Perez held nothing back from the start.
With 4:12 left in the first quarter, Lane was facing a fourth and 10 from the South Elgin 14 yard-line. Stellar field goal kicker Atticus Whitted lined up for a kick to give the Champions an early three-point lead. Instead of nailing a high percentage field goal kick for him, he took a pitch from the hold and a few steps to his right and passed the ball to senior tight-end Jack Laufter in the endzone who made a nice catch for a surprise opening touchdown. Then Whitted lined up again and knocked through the extra point.
One possession later, with 41.5 seconds left in the first quarter, sophomore running back Logan Laguardia took a handoff just behind Lane’s own fifteen yard-line, ran around the left side of the line and up the side practically untouched running away from tacklers for an 85-yard touchdown run. Just that quick, the Champions had a two-touchdown lead.
Midway through the third quarter with Lane leading 20-7, the Storm drove to the Lane four-yard line. It was time for the Lane defense to step up.
“Our D-line played absolute outstanding. Our safeties had probably ten pass brake ups. Our cornerbacks did their work. Big plays didn’t cause touchdowns. They got to the four-yard line. We stuffed ‘em. We just brought that Lane Tech intensity that we are growing into as a team,” middle linebacker Boywid said.
Late in the third quarter, Lane QB Perkins dropped in a perfect post route pass to senior wide receiver Taylor Clay.
“I just beat him. Released on the inside and then just catching the ball and getting there. I knew what my team needed,” Clay said.
“It just feels good to know that we are on the same page. Just executing, all the time. Getting things done when we need it,” added Clay.
The Champions added another touchdown in the fourth quarter on their way to the 33-14 victory and advance to 21st ranked Huntley Red Raiders (10-0, 9-0).
Lane looks to continue its playoff winning ways. Last year the Champions won a playoff game Perspectives-Leadership only to fall to Oswego in the second round. The expansion of the IHSA football playoff with the “play-in” game in the first week has basically put the Champions where they might have been under the old playoff format. Basically, this win is like a first-round win in prior years.
