Aaron Bailey hurt; Tom Fuessel leads Lincoln-Way East
By Dick Goss dgoss@stmedianetwork.com September 29, 2012 12:30AM
Lincoln-Way East quarterback Tom Fuessel (18) runs the ball against Bolingbrook during their football game in Frankfort Friday, September 28, 2012. | Brett Roseman~Sun-Times Media
Player
of the game
Lincoln-Way East’s Tom Fuessel scored three TDs, rushed for 79 yards and completed 4-of-5 passes for 60 yards and a touchdown.
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Updated: November 1, 2012 6:36AM
The anticipated duel between two big-time quarterbacks as deadly with their legs as with their arms never materialized.
Bolingbrook senior All-Stater Aaron Bailey suffered a right knee injury on the second play from scrimmage and did not return.
Lincoln-Way East senior Tom Fuessel went ahead and showed his big-time material, leading the Griffins to a 42-19 victory in the SouthWest Suburban Blue game of the year Friday night in Frankfort.
Fuessel scored touchdowns on runs of 30, 17 and 11 yards and threw a 33-yard touchdown pass to Nick Colangelo.
“They have a great defense, but we thought they might overpursue a little,” said Fuessel, who had to shake off an arm bruise and leg cramps. “I thought I could make cutbacks, and it worked.”
No. 1 Bolingbrook (5-1, 3-1) scored first. On the second play from scrimmage, Bailey ran the option and was five yards downfield when, while being tackled, he pitched the ball to Omar Stover, who went the final 84 yards for the touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
What few noticed was what was happening at the opposite end of the field — Bailey hobbling off. He appears to have a right knee sprain, and an MRI was done Saturday or will be done Monday.
“It’s a little sore, but I don’t think it’s too bad,” Bailey said, sporting crutches.
Sophomore Quincy Woods filled in admirably the rest of the way, but by the time he brushed off the rust, No. 2 East (6-0, 4-0) had built a 35-7 halftime lead.
“Our kids caught fire there in the first half,” East coach Rob Zvonar said. “That’s as good as we have been in all three phases.
“Bolingbrook has a team where they can take it to the house if you have one mis-step. That’s what happened on the first touchdown. But our offense responded right away, and we were solid the rest of the half.”
Colangelo rushed for 115 yards, Fuessel for 79 and Justin Cobett for 66 for the Griffins. Woods rushed for 155 for Bolingbrook, including 69 and 57-yard scampers in the fourth quarter. He also completed five passes for 60 yards, one a 36-yarder late in the first quarter to running back John Howard, who suffered an apparent broken ankle or dislocation on the back end of that play.
Still, the Bailey injury cast the darkest cloud over the highly anticipated night.
“No doubt if Tom (Fuessel) goes out, it would have been the same for us,” Zvonar said.
Shortly after Howard went down, the Griffins blew it open, capitalizing on Bolingbrook mistakes to score three touchdowns in a 2-minute 13-second span early in the second quarter to open the 35-7 lead.
Senior safety Jarret Lekas began that onslaught, returning an interception 54 yards for a score. Kevin Duffin recovered a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, and on the first play, Fuessel rolled right, stopped and threw back left to Colangelo, who ran it in to complete the 33-yard score.
Bolingbrook had to punt, and on the Griffins’ next play, Colangelo burst 60 yards up the middle to provide the four-touchdown cushion.
“It took awhile for Woods to get the rust out, we got beat physically a couple of times and we made some turnovers,” Bolingbrook coach John Ivlow said. “You can’t do that against them. They’ve got a nice team here.”
Ivlow acknowledged the injuries changed the course of the game but added, “Injuries happen, and we have to keep going. The guys coming in have to do the job. I thought after it took Woods awhile to get the rust out, he did a nice job.
“I don’t know about Aaron (Bailey); I think Woods will get a lot more of the work at practice next week.”
