Three Patrick TDs lead Kougars

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WHEATFIELD -- Dylan Patrick, take a bow.

You deserve it.

Patrick, just a sophomore, turned homecoming and senior night into one big party for Kankakee Valley on Friday, rushing for 260 yards on 36 carries in the Kougars' 34-17 victory over Andrean.

That's a career high for Patrick, who replaced Kale Popp, the Kougars starter, at the beginning of the season.

"I guess he's not a secret anymore," KV coach Mike Peo said.

Not at all. The 59ers were aware of him before the game and even more so during it.

They still couldn't stop him. Afterward, Andrean coach Phil Mason stopped by to pat him on the back and tell him what a great game he played.

Mason was hopping mad about his defense, which basically let the game slip away in the fourth quarter.

"Our defense played like garbage," he said.

The whole game actually turned on one crazy play at the end of the third quarter.

That's when the 59ers actually blocked a KV punt that started rolling downfield.

The ball then bounced off an Andrean player and Anthony Keeling recovered it at the 25-yard line.

Mason was livid about the call though he admitted afterward he wasn't sure about the rule.

"That changed the whole game," he said. "That's a good crew. I just hope they got it right."

Two plays later, Patrick scored from 20 yards to give KV the lead for the first time.

The play of the game came with 6:38 left.

Andrean was only behind by four points and on 4th-and-5, from the 38, KV handed the ball off to Patrick.

He appeared to be stopped short of the first down before he broke free through a wall of tacklers and scampered in for the touchdown that killed any chance the 59ers had of winning.

"I just kept my legs moving," Patrick said.

KV finished the scoring off when Brett Webster recovered a fumbled punt at the four, setting up a touchdown for Adam Mandeville.

Patrick was humble afterward, deferring to his offensive line and the seniors.

"They created some big holes for me," he said.

His night overshadowed the fine work of Andrean running back Kyle Kovach, who finished with 134 yards rushing on 20 carries.