Torian Lewis made big plays on both sides of the ball early in the game to get T.F. South going Friday night. The senior’s impact was lessened in the middle quarters due to a groin injury, but his show wasn’t over.
Lewis ran for two fourth-quarter touchdowns as the visiting Rebels outscored Tinley Park 22-0 in the final quarter to earn a 34-19 South Suburban Blue win.
Lewis was certainly the star for T.F. South (4-2, 3-1). He made two first-half interceptions, including one in the end zone, and picked off a pass on a two-point try. He ran nine times for 137 yards and the two late scores.
“I’m just a playmaker,” Lewis said. “Our coaches did a great job getting us ready for this game. We knew every play that was coming against us. In our losses, we came out flat in the third quarter and stayed flat. [Friday], we came out flat in the third then we picked it up. It was a great team effort.”
After falling behind 12-0, Tinley Park (4-2, 2-1) rallied and took its first lead at 19-12 with 8:05 left in the third quarter on a 13-yard touchdown pass from Quinn Kelly (18-for-36, 231 yards, two touchdowns) to Garrett Maas (five catches, 62 yards).
T.F. South answered with a 3-yard touchdown carry from quarterback Cody Petrich, but still trailed 19-18 after the two-point conversion was wiped out by a holding penalty and the ensuing extra-point try was no good.
“We thought we had the lead and then we get a hold and we’re still down one,” T.F. South coach Tom Padjen said. “Some years, guys would have had their heads down and we wouldn’t have been able to recover.”
Not this year.
Tinley Park’s next drive ended when Nathaniel Sanders, who also had two sacks, pounced on a fumble.
Tylon Dantzler, who ran 13 times for 76 yards —all in the second half — gained 39 yards on six carries to set up Lewis’ go-ahead, 10-yard touchdown run with 6:29 left in the game.
“They came back and took the lead and I was just trying to keep everybody pumped up on the sidelines,” Dantzler said. “Then I got to come in, and I contributed.”
T.F. South forced a three-and-out on the Titans’ next possession and Lewis dashed 67 yards for a score with 4:04 to go to seal the victory.
Sterling Smith had two first-quarter touchdown runs, of nine and three yards, for T.F. South.
Jamari McDonald ran for 75 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries for Tinley Park, which lost despite outgaining the Rebels 342-299.
