Christopher Scott was not a player of distinction at the start of the 2017 season.
Can’t say that now.
The Loyola Academy inside linebacker continues to raise his level of play. That certainly was evident on Sept. 29, when the Ramblers (5-1) took down host St. Rita 34-14.
Scott, who wears jersey No. 40, finished the game with a team-high nine tackles. And, in the process, the senior came up with a trio of highlight-reel plays: a five-yard quarterback sack and two other tackles for loss.
“Usually, I don’t get those kind of stats,” said Scott. “That’s a good game for me.”
He’s a speed guy who can lay a hit.
Playing fast — and without hesitation — was a key to his success against the Mustangs (4-2).
“Read the play quickly and make a hit immediately,” said Scott. “That’s what I tried to do.”
Scott also recorded a quarterback sack in LA’s Week 5 win over visiting Mt. Carmel. So, he’s on a roll.
“He’s a really smart kid,” said LA head coach John Holecek. “He’s in the right spot.”
Scott was hardly a one-man show out there.
Fellow inside linebacker Anthony Rodriguez was, as usual, extremely active. The senior star finished with eight tackles, one tackle for loss and two pass breakups.
Marty Geary (5 tackles, 1 sack, 1 TFL), Armoni Dixon (6 tackles, 1 sack), Patrick Daniels (6 tackles, 1 TFL) and Jake Gonzalez (5 tackles, 1 TFL) also were superb on the defensive side.
Geary’s bull-rush seven-yard sack in the third quarter was one of the head-turning plays of the game.
Holding a dangerous St. Rita team to 14 points was impressive.
“I think they’re the best offensive team that we’ve faced this year,” said Scott. “Even better than Phillips.”
LA’s Game Balls: Hamid Bullie (RB), James Joyce (WR), Dillon Grant (WR), Christopher Scott (LB), Marty Geary (DL), Anthony Rodriguez (LB), Armoni Dixon (LB)
St. Rita Game Balls: Jake Zylman (QB), Dave Gleaves (WR)
LA’s Offensive Player of the Game: Bully
LA’s Defensive Player of the Game: Scott
LA’s Offensive Stat Leaders
— Quinn Boyle (12 rushes, 74 yards; 13-20-0 passing, 3 TD passes)
— Bullie (17 rushes, 111 yards, 10-yard TD run, 35-yard TD run)
— Joyce (6 catches, 64 yards, 6-yard TD catch)
— Grant (3 catches, 69 yards, 32-yard TD catch)
— Rory Boos (3 catches, 18 yards)
— Charlie Gilroy (1 catch, 21 yards)
— Michael Gavric (5 rushes, 26 yards)
— Vernon Green (3 rushes, 13 yards)
St. Rita’s Offensive Stat Leaders
— Zylman (13 rushes, 103 yards, 55-yard TD run; 7-23-0 passing, 1 TD pass)
— Gleaves (2 rushes, 25 yards; 4 catches, 65 yards, 18-yard TD catch)
— Chris Childers (12 rushes, 33 yards)
LA’s Defensive Stat Leaders
— Scott (9 tackles, 5-yard QB sack, 2 tackles for loss)
— Rodriguez (8 tackles, 1 TFL, 2 pass breakups)
— Geary (5 tackles, 7-yard QB sack, 1 TFL)
— Dixon (6 tackles, 6-yard QB sack)
— Patrick Daniels (6 tackles, 1 TFL)
— Jordan King (6 tackles)
— Jake Gonzalez (5 tackles, 1 TFL)
— John Lynch (3 tackles)
— John Costello (3 tackles)
LA’s Unsung Heroes: Jordan King, Daniels, Gonzalez
Notable: Senior running back Hamid Bullie, who missed last year’s state playoffs with an ACL injury, had a breakout game for the Ramblers. He was the game’s leading rusher (17 rushes, 111 yards). His evening featured two major third-quarter highlights: a 10-yard TD run and a 35-yard TD run. … Senior quarterback Quinn Boyle had another strong outing. He tossed TD passes to Rory Boos (7 yards), James Joyce (8 yards) and Dillon Grant (32 yards). Grant’s diving catch late in the second quarter was eye popping. It was a perfectly-timed play.