One final ride.
One final Leonard Bowl.
It didn't disappoint.
Sacred Heart-Griffin and Rochester have one of the best downstate rivalries in Illinois football if not the best. The two programs are coached by a father-son duo: Ken Leonard of Sacred Heart-Griffin, and Derek Leonard of Rochester. Ken Leonard will be retiring at the end of the year.
The Cyclones found themselves down 14-0 before they had a chance to possess the ball, and they were down 28-0 early in the second quarter. During that stretch, quarterback Keeton Reiss (11/18, 194 yards, Int, 28 carries, 91 yards, 4 TD) had 3 quarterback keepers; the first keeper for 1 yard, and the next two keepers for 3 yards each. Fullback Ian Lichtenberger added a 3 yard run between the two 3-yard keepers.
Then the Cyclone offense came alive. After Richard Jackson put the Cyclones on the board with a 2 yard run, Cyclones kicker Mason Grove recovered his own onside kick, and second running back Errol Sanders (aka "Bill" Sanders) took charge. On the second touchdown drive Sanders (8 carries, 54 yards, TD) had 6 carries for 40 yards, and had his only touchdown run (4 yards).
However an 81 yard bomb from quarterback/running back Parker Gillespie (17 carries, 69 yards, 2/2, 83 yards) to Jack Swaney seemed to take the air out of the Cyclones' sails.
Quarterback Ty Lott orchestrated a two minute drive at the end of the half, reminding the Cyclones faithful that it isn't over. Lott finished the drive with a 23 yard pass to the corner of the endzone to KeShon Singleton (5 catches, 51 yards, TD).
After a Lott interception to start the third quarter, Reiss finished off the drive with his fourth touchdown run (1 yard).
Jackson would add a 5 yard run with 2:31 left in the third quarter to make it 42-28.
It was all Cyclones from there as that run would be the first of the next five touchdowns scored by the Cyclones.
The next two touchdowns came courtesy of a short field set up by the Cyclone defense. Maddix Morris returned a Keeton Reiss interception to the Rockets 37 yard line, and caught a 37 yard pass from Ty Lott on the next play. Then after a Parker Gillespie fumble, Lott threw a 27 yard pass to Jake Hamilton to tie the game.
The real gut punch came on 4th and 1 on the next Cyclone possession. Lott handed the ball to Jackson, and it looked initially that Jackson would be stopped.
However Jackson kept his legs chugging, and he was able to escape for a 45 yard run to put the Cyclones ahead for good. Lott would add a 9 yard run at the end to seal the deal.
Lott finished 12/18 for 142 yards, 3 touchdowns and an interception. Richard Jackson had 8 carries for 105 yards and 2 touchdowns.
The Rockets finish the season at 11-2 for the second consecutive year, and the Cyclones (13-0) will look to help coach Ken Leonard go out on top next Friday night at 7.
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