Lemont Crushes Hillcrest, Remains Unbeaten

For some fans, it had to be a feeling of déjà vu as they rolled past Hillcrest in a 56-6 rout.

Last season, the Indians avenged their 2009 home loss by dropping 49 points on the Hawks in just under 13 minutes of play. It wasn’t quite as bad this time around, but the end result was very similar. 

Indians (7-0, 4-0) running back Christos Giatras got things rolling on the first play of the game with a 62-yard rushing touchdown. Running back Eric Kirkman followed suit on their next possession with a 41-yard touchdown, giving the Indians a 14-0 lead with a little under nine minutes left in the first quarter against the Hawks (0-7, 0-4). 

Defensive back Jake Lemming picked off Hawks QB Devonte Brewer twice in the first quarter, and came within a yard of returning his first interception for a touchdown. His catches led to two more first-quarter touchdowns for the Indians, putting the game permanently out of reach for the winless Hawks. 

“We got a lot of pressure on their quarterback and we got him to force the ball up,” Lemming said. 

In spite of two Lemont fumbles in the second quarter, the Indians tacked on two more touchdowns to put them up 42-0 at the half, giving the Indians the running clock. Running back Mitch Balek scored his second touchdown of the game late in the third quarter on an eight-yard run. Running back Stephen Tate finished off the scoring with a 15-yard run up the middle. 

All of Lemont’s touchdowns came on the ground. 

The lone bright spot for Hillcrest was a 60-yard QB sneak by Brewer in the fourth quarter to avert a shutout, which would have been Lemont’s fifth for the season. 

Indians coach Eric Michaelsen was pleased with the outcome, but is still aware that the real tests are down the road. 

“We’ve still got things that we need to clean up, and they’re things that we’ll work on in practice,” he said.

The Indians go to T.F. North next Friday while the Hawks head to Oak Forest.