Homecoming Loss Serves As Inspiration for Lions

The 2010 Lisle High School football team began the season on the same 1-3 streak as 2009's team. But senior running back Mitch McCarthy said the mentality of this year's team was different.

"We weren't going through the same stuff as last year," McCarthy said.

Whatever that "stuff" was, the Lions (3-3, 3-1) look to be running clean without it. After back-to-back wins versus Dwight (1-5, 1-3) and Reed-Custer (1-5, 1-3), Lisle is back to .500 and aiming for the playoffs.

But it was their last loss—a homecoming date against undefeated Wilmington (5-0, 3-0)—that might have turned things around, according to head coach Dan Sanko.

"Some programs will get intimidated by a program like Wilmington. We were down 14-0 before we could blink," Sanko said. "[We] showed a lot of character and showed me something about [our] team personality that game that I have not seen in particular the last couple of years."

After consecutive 17-point losses to Plano (2-3, 0-3) and Coal City (3-3, 2-2) in Weeks 1 and 2 and a 21-13 win against Westmont (2-3, 1-2) in Week 3, the Lions faced a Wilmington team that it had not beaten in 15 years.

After the aforementioned two-touchdown deficit early in the game, Lisle battled back and eventually ended up in overtime after outscoring the Wildcats 22-7 in the second half.

"We were not just going to back down because of some name on the front of a jersey," McCarthy said.

Though they lost 34-28 in overtime, the Wilmington game has sparked the Lions. After completing less than 50 percent of his passes in the season's first four games (43.8, 18.2, 36.8, and 47.8, respectively) to go along with four touchdowns and four interceptions, sophomore quarterback Nick Saul has thrown for over 62 percent in his last two games with five scores and two picks.

"He was a little overwhelmed and a little frightened those first couple games, and he'll be the first one to tell you," Sanko said. "He's really settled in, he's led, and his confidence [has grown]."

In addition to Saul, Sanko highlighted senior linebacker Patrick Heatherly and junior defensive lineman Terrance Allen on the other side of the ball.

Sanko said of Heatherly, "He's not big in stature but he's big in heart."

On Allen: "One of those big-play guys; he seems to find the ball all the time."

Meanwhile, McCarthy and fellow back Anthony Vantrella, another senior, have put together an impactful 455 rushing yards.

"It always seems they don't have the yardage," Sanko said, "but they somehow come up with the big play when we need it. I guess it is good players that do that."

Lisle faces Seneca (2-2, 1-1) at home Friday before finishing 2010 against struggling Manteno (1-3, 1-1) and Herscher (5-1, 3-1). A strong performance in those final three could put the Lions in the postseason, their goal from the start according to McCarthy.

"We're on the up-and-up right now," he said. "We know if we play hard, we can beat the best teams."