Teammates and coaches insist that senior running back Landon Paredes can do it all for Andrew.
But Paredes believes that he can’t do a thing without a little help from his friends.
“The O-line is the base of the offense,” Paredes said. “Our quarterback (Jimmy Reilly) makes things happen. I get good blocks on special teams. I can’t do it without them.”
They worked well together Friday night.
Paredes, a 5-foot-10, 165-pound speedster, reached the end zone on a 92-yard kickoff return and came through with 29 yards on three carries during the final scoring drive as the host Thunderbolts notched a come-from-behind 21-18 nonconference victory over Oak Forest in Tinley Park.
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Reilly ran for two touchdowns for Andrew (1-0), including a 1-yard TD with 17 seconds left. He completed 4 of 5 passes for 131 yards. Alex Stella had a 52-yard run in a scoreless first half and a 38-yard catch to open the final scoring drive. Ian Lopez added a 47-yard catch.
Paredes changed the momentum for Andrew after Oak Forest (0-1) jumped to an 8-0 with 7:13 left in the third quarter. He took the ensuing kickoff 92 yards and ran it in for the TD, thrilling fans that packed the home stands.
“The first kickoff was a little shaky, so I wanted to make a big play,” Paredes said. “But I couldn’t do anything without my teammates’ blocks. I was patient and waited for the blocks.
“I saw a hole and made the most of it. I knew I had it.”
Oak Forest — which relinquished leads of 8-0, 11-8 and 18-15 — was looking to continue momentum from last season when the Bengals went 11-2 and made it to the Class 5A semifinals.
William McMaster was the workhorse again for Oak Forest with 102 yards and a TD on 24 carries. Davian Picon also scored a TD, while Ulysses Morales converted a 38-yard field goal.
Paredes, however, had a night to remember.
“I love football because of moments like these,” he said. “It was a hard-fought game and we came up with the win.”
Reilly also was happy that Paredes made those big plays in the second half.
“Landon is electric,” Reilly said. “He always brings speed on the outside. He’s a do-it-all guy and a great teammate, too.”
Andrew coach Adam Lewandowski watched Paredes get a taste of success as a junior last year, so it did not surprise him that he could pull off a big game in the season opener.
“He’s one of our leaders for a reason,” Lewandowski said of Paredes. “He battled through a lot of tough injuries last year. He’s full force and full health right now, and he’s going to be a guy we rely on.
“He’s an excellent young man with a great work ethic. And he’s a clutch performer. He’s good at everything.”
Likewise, Lewandowski was happy the performance of Reilly, who made his first varsity start Friday.
“He’s really gritty and he’s really gutsy,” Lewandowski said of Reilly. “He can see the field well. He’s got a great arm. He can spin it. He reads really well.
“He’s got guts. He’s got moxie.”
Both Reilly and Parades would like to play football in college. They are hoping to catch the eyes of recruiters with a winning season.
Parades grew up in Evanston but his family moved during the pandemic. He also grew up taking notice of a certain Los Angeles Rams player during that time.
He became a big fan and tried to pattern his game after the former versatile NFL running back.
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“I grew up liking Todd Gurley,” Parades said. “I was a big Rams fan and I liked his agility.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.