Football: Lemont looking for return to semis

Updated: November 9, 2011 9:41PM

In climbing to the top of the SouthtownStar’s football rankings, Lemont has outscored its two playoff opponents by a combined score of 91-44.

The Indians, though, haven’t been perfect.

“We’ve had too many turnovers,” Lemont coach Eric Michaelsen said. “We need to cut back down on those and you always want to limit penalties, too.”

When the top-seeded Indians (11-0) host third-seeded Hubbard (9-2) in a Class 6A quarterfinal set for 6 p.m. Saturday, they know they can’t afford any self-inflicted wounds.

“We can’t make any stupid mistakes,” Lemont senior running back Mike Anzalone said. “We’ve got to hold on to the football and go out and execute our offense.”

Lemont has lost two fumbles in each of its first two playoff games. Both of the Indians’ giveaways in their first-round contest vs. Morgan Park were returned for touchdowns.

Aside from those miscues, though, Lemont’s offense has been firing on all cylinders.

Anzalone, who has run 203 times for 1,327 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season, has led the way. The bruising tailback rushed for 164 yards and three touchdowns against Morgan Park and followed with 166 yards and two scores in the second-round win over Oak Forest.

Junior fullback Christos Giatras (92 carries, 602 yards, 13 TDs) is the other key cog to the Indians’ rushing attack. Meanwhile, the biggest improvement in the offense has come in the passing game, thanks to the development of senior quarterback Damon Aleman.

Aleman (47-of-91 passing, 1,035 yards, 16 TDs) threw three touchdown passes in the win over Morgan Park and added two more last week against Oak Forest, including a 75-yard strike to Tyler Jay that broke the Bengals’ backs.

Perhaps more important, Aleman has continued to avoid mistakes. He’s thrown just one interception this season.

“Damon has made some nice plays,” Michaelsen said. “To be balanced is always going to be a big positive for your offense. We’d still like to be more balanced.”

Defensively, the Indians — who have allowed an average of just eight points a game and pitched five regular-season shutouts — figure to be tested in a big way by the Greyhounds.

Senior quarterback Quincy Skanes, a four-year varsity starter, is the star of the show for Hubbard and presents a challenge with his legs and his arm. He ran for 116 yards and three TDs in a second-round win over Richards.

“(Skanes) is one of the smartest players we’ve seen,” Michaelsen said. “He makes all the decisions for them. They have great team speed. Their front line is very physical and they have great schemes. (Coach) Elton Harris does a really nice job.”

Running backs Anthony Johnson, Larry Howard and Quintin Skanes also contribute to the rushing attack for Hubbard, which has won nine of its last 10 games — the only slip coming against Morgan Park.

Lemont is in the quarterfinals for the fifth straight season. After falling in this round the past two years, with losses to Marmion Academy in 2010 and Danville in 2009, the Indians are looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since their state runner-up finish in 2008.

To do that, they will need contributions in all facets of the game.

“Our ‘D’ needs to contain their kids and limit their big plays because they really have big-play potential,” Michaelsen said. “Our offense needs to run clock and keep them off the field. We also need our special teams to come through.”

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