Griffins too much for Edwardsville

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:24PM

It was the opening game of the season, but No. 10 Lincoln-Way East looked in midseason form.

The Griffins had all facets of the game going, including blocking a pair of punts and recovering them for touchdowns. They scored the first 37 points and coasted to a 37-14 victory over Edwardsville in the nonconference opener for both teams Saturday at Illinois State University.

"Special teams was a bright spot," East coach Rob Zvonar said. "But offensively we came out with a good drive and looked in mid-season form."

Indeed the Griffins (1-0) put together an 80-yard, 10 play drive to open the game. Junior quarterback Blake Winkler, who finished 7 of 10 for 76 yards, completed all three of his passes in the march for 49 yards. Senior running back Max Bayer capped the drive with a two-yard touchdown run.

Bayer (16 carries, 71 yards) scored again from six yards out early in the second quarter and junior William Will connected on a 23-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead.

Senior linebacker Pat Meehan, who also had two fumble recoveries and a sack, then blocked a punt and senior defensive back Colin Hickey was there to pick it up in the end zone for a touchdown and a 24-0 Griffin lead midway through the second quarter.

The duo was at it again when Edwardsville punted to open the third quarter. Meehan got through for another block and this time Hickey picked it up at the six and ran it in for another score and a 31-0 lead.

"Yeah, sorry about that," laughed Meehan of making Hickey run six yards for the second score. "We've got some chemistry going on here.

"But we work on that in practice. (Edwardsville) spread it out, but we're always going for a block."

"Last year I tore a tendon in my hip and missed the first eight games," said Hickey, who had never scored a varsity touchdown before those two. "I was in the right place at the right time and it definitely felt good to be back."

Hickey also added an interception in the end zone to thwart Edwardsville's only scoring chance in the first half. Senior Dean DalSanto (13 carries, 65 yards) capped the Griffin scoring on a nine-yard run midway through the third quarter.

The Tigers (0-1) scored a pair of late touchdowns, but did it without running back Rodney Coe. The 6-3, 251 pound senior is one of the top recruits in the nation, but he limped off the field after a one-yard run on the second play of the third quarter and didn't return.

Coe finished with eight carries for six yards, including being thrown for a loss four times. He also had two receptions for 43 yards.

"To come out and hold a kid like that to minimal yards is something special," Zvonar said. "I'm real proud of the defense for making the adjustments.

"There's things to work on, but there's a lot of positives to take from this. It was a super, super fun week one."

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