Two-time defending Class 4A champion Richards began its quest for a
”three-peat” Wednesday with a convincing 25-8 rout of King in Oak Lawn, but coach Gary Korhonen saw lots of room for improvement.
”My macho days are over,” said Korhonen, whose 9-1 team twice failed to score from inside King`s 10-yard line. ”I didn`t get up and scream at the kids. I just pointed out a few things. When you drive 94 yards, you should come away with something.”
The Bulldogs still had more than enough to scuttle King (9-2), the Public League`s Central Section champion, even though they fell behind 6-0 when King quarterback Johnny Harris hit Ralph Strickland with a 54-yard scoring pass on King`s second possession in the first quarter.
”That bomb was kind of scary,” said Korhonen. ”Johnny Harris? We`d like to take him with us. They say his future is in basketball, but I think he should reconsider.”
The Bulldogs didn`t rattle though. They simply marched 84 yards in 13 plays with quarterback David Kenebrew sneaking over from a yard out for the score to cut the deficit to 8-6.
Kenebrew (11 of 24 passes, 159 yards) later hit Kenny Davis with a 15-yard scoring pass and Michael Russell with a 13-yarder in the third quarter. Russell, who had two interceptions in the game, took one back 30 yards for Richards` final score in the fourth quarter.
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Richards` defense sacked Harris four times, John McNamara and Stacey Flowers each turning the trick twice. King also had six turnovers, including four interceptions.
Leo 21, Lindblom 0-Corey Rogers had 18 carries for 152 yards and two touchdowns to lead No. 19 Leo (9-1), which scored on its first two
possessions.
Bremen 34, Sullivan 6-For a while, it looked as though neither team wanted to win. Then, Bremen took the bull by the horns to advance to the second round. Dominic D`Ambrosio scored on an 8-yard run, and Pat Farritor booted the PAT for Bremen before Anthony Bailey scored on a 1-yard sneak for Sullivan.
D`Ambrosio added 2- and 1-yard touchdown runs, Michael Nelson bolted 28 yards for another and Terry Dantzler had a 7-yarder as Bremen erupted for 20 points in the third quarter.