Catch Austin Rowswell if you can.
The Lincoln-Way West sophomore is fast on the football field. He’s also an All-American in track.
And if football fans of the Warriors want to catch the wide receiver’s electrifying act, time might be running out.
“Right now, my preference is track,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ll play football next year. I’m still 50-50 on that.”
Junior quarterback Cole Crafton has a few thoughts about the topic.
“I’m trying to convince him to stay,” Crafton said. “We’ll see. He makes my job easier, for sure.”
The two got the job done Friday night, connecting on a big 42-yard pass play in the second quarter of a 36-0 SouthWest Suburban Red victory over Stagg in Palos Hills.
Lincoln-Way West (3-2, 1-1) held a 6-0 lead late in the first half when Crafton launched a pass while he was being tackled.
What looked like an overthrow turned into a touchdown with 1:51 left in the second quarter.
“It was a hell of a throw and a heck of a catch,” Lincoln-Way West coach Luke Lokanc said.
It also was a huge spark against the Chargers’ defense, which was playing strong.
Stagg (2-3, 0-2) took a safety, and then on the kickoff, Jacob Steffek scored on a 60-yard kickoff return. It gave the Warriors a 22-0 halftime lead, and quickly turned the tide.
“Cole and I run post all the time — it’s our jam,” Rowswell said of his catch. “He threw it up, and it was a little deeper than I thought. I turned on the jets and caught it.”
Those jets have been big in 2022.
In the spring, Rowswell was the only freshman to qualify for the Class 3A state meet in the 400 meters. He finished 18th with a time of 51.47 seconds, but did not reach the finals.
“I had a hip injury and I was disappointed,” he said. “But next year, I’m going for the gold.”
During the summer, Rowswell qualified for the Junior Olympics in Sacramento, California, earning All-American honors in the 15-16 age group with a fourth-place finish in 49.51.
Crafton, a Louisville recruit in baseball who is receiving Division I football looks from Purdue, Iowa, Kansas State and Nebraska, completed 6 for 14 passes for 92 yards.
He hit Rowswell four times for 72 yards.
After losing 23 straight games, Stagg opened this season with wins over Reavis and Oak Lawn. The Chargers, however, lost to Lincoln-Way East and Lincoln-Way Central by a combined score of 90-3.
Still, Stagg coach Colt Nero thought this was a winnable game.
Starting quarterback Lebarion Gilmore injured his leg in school Friday morning, though, to get Nero’s day off to a bad beginning. He called up Isaiah Jimenez from the sophomore team to start.
“I told Isaiah eighth period that he was playing,” Nero said. “It was a hectic day, but he did a good job of running the plays. We tried to make the game plan fit his style.”
Meanwhile, Lincoln-Way West went from an average of 22 running plays in the first four games to running the ball 39 times against the Chargers.
Senior running back Joey Campagna gained 139 yards on 15 carries after rushing for 134 yards in the first four games. He scored a pair of TDs in the second half, showing Rowswell-like speed on a 52-yard TD.
“Eh, he’s getting there,” Rowswell said.
Campagna had a little fun trash-talking with Roswell after the game when asked who would win in a race.
“I’ll take him on,” Campagna said. “Give me two months preparing, and I would go out and finish third in the country.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.