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Forward-thinking Shepard tops Oak Lawn
Updated: October 22, 2011 12:34AM
Sitting at 3-4 after a loss to T.F. South, the Shepard Astros found themselves in a do-or-die situation in terms of making the state playoffs.
After handily defeating Evergreen Park last week, Shepard’s playoffs hopes hovered in the balance Friday night against Oak Lawn. With the game on the line, Shepard’s Cameron Foreman stamped the Astros’ ticket to the playoffs.
Recovering an Oak Lawn fumble deep in Shepard territory with under a minute remaining, Foreman closed the door on Shepard’s 18-14 South Suburban Red win in Palos Heights.
“We just had to keep battling through adversity like the coaches always tell us,” Foreman said. “I had the play to make, and I made it. I saw the handoff, and the ball was there on my right. I covered it up for the victory.”
Having taken two shots at the end zone from the 14-yard line, Oak Lawn opted to run on third down with 42 seconds remaining in the game, but Sean Hayden coughed up the ball, with Foreman recovering.
Cortez Miller rushed 17 times for 81 yards including a 5-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that put Shepard up 15-14. Tommy Eyer drilled a 36-yard field goal with 3:49 left in the fourth to give the Astros a cushion.
Jimmy McClinton finished 10-of-23 for 123 yards and two interceptions for Shepard (5-4, 4-2). Londell Lee had a 52-yard punt return touchdown in the first quarter for the Astros.
Hayden ended with 86 yards on 23 carries for Oak Lawn (4-5, 2-4), including a 22-yard touchdown run, while defensively adding two interceptions and a fumble recovery on a Shepard punt. Bob Olsen finished 12-of-32 passing for 144 yards with a touchdown (29 yards to Kevin Martin) and an interception.
“It’s a tribute to the kids because they show up in practice and want to turn Shepard around,” Shepard coach Dominic Passolano said. “Their hard work was on display.”
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