South Elgin senior Nate Gomez said his team suffered through jet lag upon returning from its Week 1 trip to play in Orlando.
By Saturday’s second game, however, there was definitely no lag to Gomez’s jets as the Storm quarterback fired on all cylinders.
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Gomez rushed for 178 yards and four touchdowns, threw for another TD and led South Elgin to a 35-28 nonconference victory at home over Lockport
“Whenever he touches the ball, Nate is a threat,” South Elgin coach Pat Pistorio said. “Definitely he’s a dual threat. He’s just a true competitor and came up with some really big plays for us.”
The biggest came with 5:45 remaining, three plays after Lockport (1-1) fought back from a 21-7 deficit to force a 21-21 tie with South Elgin (2-0).
Gomez, a Wabash Valley baseball recruit, bolted on a planned run-pass option play just outside left tackle and straight down the sidelines untouched for a 60-yard TD.
“Their ends were crashing all day,” Gomez said. “I knew I had to bounce that one (outside). I did and the hole was there. The O-line did a great job blocking it, wide receivers did a great job blocking, and we got it done.”
Armed with a 28-21 lead, South Elgin’s defense quickly helped lock up the win when defensive end Dalton Doherty picked off a screen pass and returned it 12 yards to Lockport’s 22.
“We’d been working on that all week,” Doherty said. “We knew it was coming one way or another. It was a big momentum changer for us.
“They were looking to do a middle screen with the back. We just were coached to retrace your steps and get to the ball.”
Gomez locked it up with a 14-yard TD run with 3:29 left for a 35-21 lead.
Gomez carried 21 times and had TD runs of 3 and 21 yards in the first half. He also threw a 6-yard TD pass in the second quarter to Azxavier Salinas. Gomez completed 9 of 15 passes for 74 yards.
“I love this offense, being an athlete, being able to run the ball, being able to pass the ball, being able to make reads,” Gomez said. “I’m very comfortable in it.”
Quarterback Jacob Karli kept Lockport in it. He completed his first 11 passes and eventually finishing 30-for-46 for 239 yards, including the game-tying TD of 35 yards to Austin Hoffman in the fourth quarter.
Then it was Gomez’s turn to break the tie for good. It took him three runs for 82 yards, including the 60-yarder.
“I could tell they were gassed,” Gomez said. “We ran all over them all day.”
South Elgin has more ability to run in its offense this season than in the past thanks to Gomez.
“There’s some designed downhill passing scheme within our run game,” Pistorio said. “We’ve done a nice job with it, and Nate makes us all look good.”
Twitter @genechamberlai2