When it comes to Lowell’s offense, the secret is out.
“Everybody knows about Ike James,” Kankakee Valley coach Brad Stewart said before Friday’s game against the Red Devils. “He is the best running back in northern Indiana, probably the entire state.”
Knowing that Lowell would use a heavy dose of James was obvious. Finding a way to stop him was not.
The senior running back accumulated 160 yards on 18 carries and racked up four touchdowns to help Lowell capture the “milk jug” with a 35-7 victory over Kankakee Valley.
James sprinted in from four yards out for the first score of the game for Lowell (3-0, 1-0). His 38-yard TD run snapped a 7-7 tie in the second quarter. He added two more 4-yard TD runs.
“It’s always nice to have an Ike James that you can count on,” Lowell coach Keith Kilmer said. “It starts with him. He creates a lot of havoc, whether he’s got the ball or not. He helps our offense diversify. He’s a stud.”
Kankakee Valley’s TD came on a 2-yard Riley Fisher run in the first quarter. Two plays earlier, the Kougars converted a fourth-and-1 from their own 40 as Fisher burst free for 56 yards.
Both offenses relied heavily on the running game. The only pass attempt for Kankakee Valley (2-1, 0-1) came with 3:14 remaining in the third. All 145 yards of Kougars offense came on the ground. Lowell ran for 232 yards and passed for 27.
Although the rushing yards appear next to James’ name on the stat sheet, he’s not a one-man wrecking crew.
“Their line is huge,” Stewart said. “They’ve always had very good linemen that can block for the running game. They’ll wear you down. They’re big, they’re strong, and they’re physical.”
“It makes it easy when I’ve got five big guys in front of me blowing big holes through the defense,” James said. “I’m running through massive holes. You could drive trucks through them. The offensive line dominated all night long.”
While Kankakee Valley failed to stop Lowell’s star, the Red Devils’ defense contained Kougars quarterback Darrick Webster. Webster, a third-year starter, totaled six yards on 12 carries.
“We bottled him up, that was the key right there,” Kilmer said. “He’s darn good. He kept us up all night every night this week trying to find a way to stop him.”
More Top Picks Best Indoor Sensory Swings For Kids
Lowell is 3-0 for the first time since 2009, a season that ended with a trip to Indianapolis.
“Being on a winning team is a better feeling than last year, even though I may have had double the yards,” James said. “Since we’ve been little, our goal has been a state championship. By the end, maybe we’ll be there Week 15. That’s the ultimate goal.”
Brandon Vickrey is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.