Lincoln-Way East is happy to have Jack back.
Junior receiver Jack Murphy is a speedster who was slowed down by a hamstring injury, missed some time and has slowly worked his way back into the lineup for the Griffins.
“I was out a little longer because they wanted to make sure that I could finish the rest of the regular season,” Murphy said. “And the playoffs.”
In the third game since making his return, Murphy let loose Friday night.
He caught eight passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half — to lead Lincoln-Way East to a 42-0 SouthWest Suburban Conference win over host Lincoln Way Central in New Lenox. It was the first time these two district rivals have played in football since spring 2021.
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threw for 240 yards and backup Tyler Spychalski hit Luke Ingram with a 61-yard strike in the fourth quarter for the Griffins (7-0, 5-0). Aidan Cavanaugh ran for 51 yards and three TDs on 15 carries.Defensively, Ontario Pryor provided an interception, while Jacob Onik and Cameren Stewart tallied key sacks. They complemented Murphy, whose TD catches of 66 and 44 yards found him taking short passes and heading off to the races.
“He’s great,” LeFevour said of Murphy. “He’s very good at getting yards after the catch. We see it in practice, and it’s better now that he’s back on the field.”
“He’s the best in the state,” senior offensive lineman Mason Halliman said.
Gavin Ciesiun threw for 103 yards for Lincoln-Way Central (4-3, 2-2), Justin Langford recovered a muffed punt, Nicholas Paczesny added a fumble recovery and Alex Harper had an interception.
Because of the injury issues, Murphy entered Friday’s game with only four receptions for 51 yards, including a long catch of just 25 yards.
The Griffins already have a strong, fast receiver in Jayden Cawthon. The 5-foot-8, 175-pound Murphy gives the offense bookends of electricity.
“He’s one of the faster kids the state and qualified for state in track in the sprints,” Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar said of Murphy. “He’s back from the hamstring injury, and you can see what he can do. Having Jack takes a lot of pressure off of Jayden.
“Instead of worrying about one guy, now they have to worry about two.”
Murphy’s sprinting skills developed early.
“My dad (Mike) put me in speed training in sixth grade and I’ve been doing it ever since,” he said. “It’s been a big part of my life. He researches a lot and puts me in the right program.”
While Murphy brings speed, he credited the offensive line for the muscle.
“I like to see the big boys get down field and put some dudes on their butt,” Murphy said. “Shoutout to them.”
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After narrowly beating Brother Rice 22-21 and Kankakee 22-14 in nonconference action to open the season, the Griffins have been on a roll, beating their next five conference opponents 222-31.
Once again, the Griffins are one of the top teams in the state, looking for their first Class 8A title since 2019. Murphy was young then but remembers watching that team bring home the gold.
“I used to watch AJ Henning out here,” Murphy said of the former Lincoln-Way East star who played at Michigan and Northwestern and is in the Miami Dolphins organization. “After that state championship game, I started getting into football and my dad would teach me the basics.”
Now, he’s hooked.
“It’s just my life,” Murphy said. “It’s everything I know. It’s a great way to keep your mind at peace. I know it’s every aggressive and everything, but it keeps me calm and it keeps me balanced.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.