Fans at Saturday’s Maine South-Glenbrook South game weren’t surprised to see plenty of offensive fireworks.
The source, however, was unexpected.
Maine South tight end/defensive back/punt returner Jason Loerzel scored three touchdowns and set up another with an interception as he led the visiting Hawks (2-1) to a 28-0 non-conference victory.
“Nobody seems to know that Loerzel is one of the top five players in the state. He’s a great athlete,” said Maine South coach Phil Hopkins.
“He made big plays and gave them a lead and they continued it,” said Glenbrook South coach Ron Harris, whose team fell to 2-1. “Not much you can say. They took it to us.”
Many fans expected another offensive outburst from Glenbrook South sophomore Kevin Taylor. But Taylor, who rushed for 256 yards in the Titans’ season-opener, was still hobbled by an ankle injury sustained last week against Deerfield and netted only three yards on five carries.
“We didn’t know if he was going to play until gametime,” said Harris. “He was not the same ball-carrier. He could run full speed, but that little extra that he uses to get away from people just wasn’t there.”
Loerzel opened in spectacular fashion when he returned Glenbrook South’s first punt 48 yards for a TD. Then he caught five passes for 106 yards and two TDs, in the first and second quarters.
On defense, he had two interceptions, including a third-quarter pickoff that set up the Hawks’ final score.
The two TD bombs, for 28 and 45 yards, came from quarterback Tim Thein, who was 6 of 9 for 122 yards.
“We practice that play a lot,” Loerzel said. “I’ve had four touchdowns this year, three on that play.
“We try to run a lot of deep patterns to me out of tight end. It’s a basic play-action. Tim is just supposed to throw it up and hope I’m there.”
A team meeting after Maine South’s non-conference loss to New Trier last week helped spark this week’s revival.
“After that loss, everyone thought the year was over,” Loerzel said. “We hadn’t been practicing too well all week, and finally Thursday and Friday we came together and had a team meeting on our own.”
Afterwards, Hopkins said he detected a different attitude.
“I think it was our boys’ pride,” he said. “These guys decided they wanted to do what they’re supposed to do-and that’s win.”
The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound Loerzel is starting to attract major-college attention.
“At some point, Illinois, Purdue, Boston College, Brigham Young, Iowa and Ball State have expressed interest,” Hopkins said.
But Loerzel isn’t ready to commit. “A lot of them are looking at me, but I really have no idea yet,” he said.
