On the first play from scrimmage, David Terrell lit up the Maine South defense when he caught a 77-yard bomb from Jake Marwede on a halfback option pass.
Fifteen minutes after the game, in a postgame interview on the Loyola Academy field, Terrell’s face lit up just at the mention of the gimmick play.
“It was nuts. It was crazy,” the Loyola Academy wide receiver said. “It was … exciting.”
Wild beginning.
Wild ending.
After 48 minutes of tense and unpredictable action, the host Ramblers held off Maine South just enough to win Saturday’s matinee 44-43.
This was a white-knuckle affair for the sellout crowd. The Hawks (1-2) tied the game 43-43 with 52 seconds left in the fourth only to fail on a daring two-point conversion try.
LA fans can thank LA inside linebacker Anthony Romano for causing Maine South to whiff on that decisive play. He came on a blitz, forcing Hawks quarterback Nick Leongas (15-24-1, 412 yards) to throw under pressure and way off target.
Marwede, meanwhile, was anything but off target, when he pitched his perfect strike to Terrell.
The Hawks didn’t see it coming. And Terrell couldn’t wait to haul it in.
“It felt like the ball was up in the air forever,” said Terrell, who is the son of ex-Chicago Bear wideout David Terrell. “But it felt good to get the touchdown and get the game going.”
Gimmick plays can be tricky, if you will.
“In Thursday’s practice, that play was kind of shaky,” Terrell said. “It was up in the air on whether we would use it or not.”
But why not? Especially when you got a guy like Marwede.
“Jake’s dynamic,” said LA head coach John Holecek. “He’s the best player on the field. So you need him to be even more involved.”
That game-opening TD only proved to be a foreshadowing of things to come. The game was played at a dizzying pace. LA’s wide-open, no-huddle offense amassed a break-the-bank 565 yards. Maine South wound up with a lofty 544 yards.
“I’ve never had a team give up 500 yards. Never,” said Holecek. “Disheartening.”
LA’s offense never stopped chugging. The Ramblers put up points in every quarter. Marwede, a former QB, not only threw a TD pass, but the Duke University recruit also caught two TD passes from quarterback Tommy Herion in the second quarter: 33 yards and 10 yards.
Marwede, a Division 1 ready receiver, finished the game with seven catches for 129 yards. Herion completed 15 of 24 passes for 229 yards with no interceptions.
LA’s running game? Steady as (ahem) a Rock. Senior tailback Kyle Rock had a career day. He carried the ball 16 times for 112 yards. His lone score came on a three-yard run in the opening quarter.
Running mate Hamid Bullie continues to impress. He rushed for 97 yards on 18 attempts. He capped a clutch 12-play, 67 drive with a five-yard run to put the Ramblers ahead 44-37 with 2:15 left to play.
LA’s other touchdown was scored by Herion — a 11-yard misdirection bootleg with 6:32 left in the third quarter.
LA’s other three points came on a 34-yard field goal by Patrick Kramer with 7:59 left in the fourth quarter.
LA Game Balls: Jake Marwede (WR), Tommy Herion (QB), Kyle Rock (RB), David Terrell (WR), Anthony Romano (ILB), Marty Geary (DL)
Maine South Game Balls: Nick Leongas (QB), Fotis Kokosioulis (RB), Michael Pusateri (LB)
LA Stat Leaders
Offense: Marwede (7 catches, 129 yards, 2 TD catches; 1-1-0, 77-yard TD pass), Herion (15-24-0, 229 yards), Rock (16-132, 3-yard TD run), Terrell (3-114, 77-yard TD catch), Hamid Bullie (18-97, 5-yard run), Patrick Kramer (34-yard field goal)
Defense: Romano (10 tackles, 8-yard QB sack), Geary (6 tackles, 7-yard QB sack), Charlie Largay (5 tackles), Mickey Kane (5 tackles, 7-yard QB sack), Michael Bradley (6-yard QB sack), Graham Repp (8-yard QB sack), Ryan Lin-Peistrup (interception), Ian Swenson (5 tackles, 1 pass breakup), Jack Walker (blocked PAT kick)
Maine South Stat Leaders
Offense: Leongas (20 rushes, 100 yards; 15-24-1, 412 yards), Kokosioulis (13-90, 2 TDs; 4 catches, 166 yards, 2 TDs), Matt Holbrook (4 catches, 91 yards)
LA’s Unsung Heroes: Michael Bradley, Jake Gonzalez
Notable: Romano missed the entire third quarter and five minutes of the fourth quarter due to dehydration. … Lin-Peistrup showed good hands on his interception on the first series of the second half. He should have good hands. He’s the starting shortstop on LA’s baseball team. … LA’s offensive line is huge and talented. It features left tackle John Brekke (6-foot-3, 270), left guard Jack Badovinac (6-2, 270), center Paddy Kotowski (6-2, 250), right guard Callum Brien (6-4, 255) and right tackle Charlie Gross (6-5, 265). … Ian Swenson consistently shows why he’s a Division I defensive back. The University of Connecticut recruit broke up a potential TD pass just before halftime. Three plays later, Maine South had to settle for a 40-yard field goal.