Lyons Township defeated Buffalo Grove’s football team on Aug. 26 with a final score of 38-35. Running back Jack Cheney ‘24 scored four touchdowns and ran a total of 230 yards.

The Lions started off their game against Buffalo Grove strong with a touchdown scored by Cheney about six minutes into the game. The first quarter ended in a 7-7 stalemate, however, Buffalo Grove scored with almost three and half minutes left.

“[By the] first two [touchdowns] we were still losing,” Cheney said. “I was thinking that our defense would need a couple stops [and that] we had to score a couple more times.”

Buffalo Grove countered the previous strong start by Lions with one of their own, including touchdowns with nine and five minutes left in the second quarter. Lyons concluded the first half with a new energy: Cheney brought another touchdown with only a minute and six seconds left. The score heading into halftime was 21-17 in favor of Buffalo Grove (the extra three points for LT coming from a field goal).

“One of our weaknesses is our pass coverage on the defense,” quarterback Ryan Jackson ‘24 said. “We’ve been practicing a lot on that so [it] shouldn’t be a weakness for much longer.”

The penultimate quarter served as LT’s opportunity to make visible headway. They took advantage of this opportunity with two touchdowns (one at the hour 47 minute mark and one at the hour 56 minute mark). Buffalo Grove returned with a touchdown. The score heading into the fourth quarter was 28 – 31 in favor of Lyons Township.

In the fourth quarter LT secured their lead despite Buffalo Grove’s attempt to comeback. The final score of the Buffalo Grove game was 38-35 with LT coming out on top.

“Defensive wise, the front seven [a defensive setup] did their job. Our secondary [defensive backs] did a poor job and could do much better,” secondary position player James Georgelos ‘23 said. “Moving forward we gotta clean it up. I’m [feeling] optimistic and really excited about the season overall.”

The Addison Trail game on Friday, Sept. 2 also ended in victory for the LT team with a final score of 45-0. LT plays next at the Whiteout game on Bennett Field against Hinsdale Central Friday, Sept. 9.