By Mark Gregory
@Hear_The_Beard
While it is impossible to have a winning streak after the opening week of the season, but counting the three-game streak that Lockport ended last season with, that is what it felt like to the Porters after a 20-9 win at Downers Grove North.
Austin Hoffman
It was the first time in five seasons that the Porters earned a win in the season opener, coincidently that was also the last time Lockport qualified for the IHSA playoffs.
“The three wins at the end of last year were big and we wanted to keep that streak going,” said senior quarterback Ben Davis. “Last year, we came out fired up against those first couple teams and we lost. Today, we made sure we weren’t going to let up this time.”
At one point during the third period, North posted a 21-play drive that last more than 10 minutes and did not result in a point as the Porters forced an incomplete pass on fourth down.
“That was unbelievable,” Lockport coach Dan Starkey said. “We rotated a lot of guys in to keep guys fresh. That was a great effort. It was determination and will and that is what you like to see.”
The Porters lost the time of possession battle by a handsome margin to the Trojans, as Lockport stopped North six times on fourth down – three in the second quarter alone. They also posted an interception and a blocked field goal.
The blocker of that field goal was defensive lineman Josh Baker, who was also credited with a pass break up and a couple of sacks.
“It was huge to get the stop and then the blocked field goal was huge. Then the run right after just set the tone,” Baker said. “This sets the tone for the rest of the season.”
Baker was all over the field and was even singled out by Downers Grove North coach John Wander.
“The player of the game was (Josh Baker),” Wander said. “He caught us on our speed option, he was all over the field. I give him compliments, he played a nice football game.”
He also earned praise from his own coach.
“He wreaked havoc up there and that is a credit to all the other defensive linemen up there too,” Starkey said. “We ask then to create a brick wall up there, no matter what defense we had in there. The one constant is that our D-Line was really dominant in there. I had a good feeling about how they were going to play because of how they battled each other all summer.”
As the defense held the Trojans, the Lockport offense converted.
Davis connected with Porter receivers on 16 of his 18 passes for 149 yards and two touchdowns.
“That was all the reps we do in practice,” Davis said. “The receivers are in route lines every day and we are getting hundreds of reps and those routes are crisp and hard to defend. I had a lot of time, I am proud of my O-Line. I think a lot of people were questioning them and I was confident in them. This first win is big, it will help us a lot.”
Davis did not have a pass fall incomplete all game, as his only two throws that did not connect with a teammate were intercepted by North.
Next up for Lockport is a home tilt against South Elgin as it looks to go back-to-back to open the season since the same 2001 season it last one its opener.
South Elgin fell 39-9 to St. Charles East in its opener.