St. Laurence’s Cory Les is like a great actor who refuses to be stereotyped.
The Louisville recruit is a star in baseball, but he’s also a versatile two-way senior force in football who excels offensively at running back or as a quarterback operating out of the Wildcat formation.
“It comes down to mentality,” Les said about his playing style. “I’m never willing to go down. I’m going to run through you. If you don’t want to bring the pads, I’ll bring them.
“My style is hard and physical and I get downhill.”
Les got going Friday night for the host Vikings, running for 177 yards and three touchdowns while also throwing a TD pass in a 35-21 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais in a Class 6A second-round playoff game in Burbank.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pound Les is a man for all seasons for St. Laurence (7-4), which travels to Dunlap (9-2) for a 3 p.m. Saturday kickoff in the state quarterfinals.
In the spring, the right-handed Les played infield, outfield and also pitched. He batted .364 with a team-best 25 extra-base hits in powering the Vikings to the Class 3A state championship.
Just like in baseball, you can’t assign him one part. In football, the four-year varsity regular plays running back and receiver and throws the ball. He’s played safety and linebacker on defense.
This season, he has more than 1,250 all-purpose yards and 15 total TDs.
“When I first got hired, Cory told me not to worry about him getting tired because it won’t ever happen,” said Patrick Swanson, who’s in his first year as St. Laurence’s coach. “There’s no ego.
“It’s just hard work and dedication. When he has the ball in his hands, it’s ruthless aggression.”
Senior quarterback Jimmy McDermott said Les’ versatility empowers the entire team.
“Cory’s one of the most competitive people I know,” McDermott said. “He’s always the person every one of our guys looks to when we need someone to make a play.
“I think his willingness to do whatever it takes to win is a big part of that versatility.”
Les is used to pressure and the big stage. He knows how to avoid looking too far ahead.
“Never get too high or too low,” he said. “In baseball, you fail so much that one bad play doesn’t feel like the end of the world. That carries over to football — you just move on to the next play.
“Staying consistent with your mindset keeps you going, whether things are going well or not.”
That approach and discipline is a family trait. He learned it from his older brother, Evan.
Two years ago, Evan was the starting quarterback as St. Laurence reached the Class 4A state championship game. Cory was a running back and linebacker for that team.
Evan is now a college sophomore playing both football and baseball at Illinois Wesleyan.
“That experience was unbelievable,” Cory said. “And seeing my brother and other senior leadership was really special.
“I saw how they held the team accountable and commanded the team — kept everyone together and set the standard.”
Cory credited Swanson and baseball coach Pete Lotus for giving him the freedom to move between the sports. The left-handed hitter goes to the batting cages to keep his swing in rhythm.
“You’ve got to commit to both sports and put the right amount of time into each,” Les said. “It’s not about overworking but staying sharp. It’s about being prepared when it’s time to play.
“My full focus is always on the sport that’s in season.”
Watching St. Laurence’s soccer team lose a heartbreaker in the state championship game Saturday night underscored Les’ legendary competitiveness.
“I hate losing more than I like winning,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always had in me. I came here to win, and seeing it happen now with my best friends and teammates is a great feeling.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
