By Mike Walsh
Correspondent
Sharing a backfield with running backs Aaron Ball and Harley Rizzs, it’s easy for St. Laurence quarterback Evan Les to be overlooked.
However, the senior signal-caller is quite proficient when carrying the ball.
In the Vikings’ 31-21 victory over Dixon in the second round of the IHSA Class 4A playoffs — pushing St. Laurence into the quarterfinals — Les ran the ball 17 times for 163 yards. His effort was highlighted by a 77-yard TD run with 2:24 left in the game give St. Laurence a 10-point lead.
“I’m not the biggest runner or the fastest runner, but when I get open space I try to avoid guys down the field,” Les said. “I’m not trying to run through guys. I call it smart running and angles, you know?”
St. Laurence (8-3) will travel to Elmhurst to battle IC Catholic (9-2) this weekend. The Knights rolled past Rockford Boylan, 35-7, in the second round.
“We had a huge first win last week and this is our second,” Vikings coach Adam Nissen said. “Our theme all year has been the job is not finished.”
This is St. Laurence’s first quarterfinals appearance since 2017 and fourth since 2015. The Vikings’ last state championship was in 1976.
“That’s what I have my eyes on,” Nissen said of a state title. “But we’ll take it one game at a time, of course.”
The Vikings opened the scoring when Les connected with Connor Engstrom on a 16-yard TD pass with 7:48 to go in the opening stanza.
Les finished 7-of-14 for 108 yards passing and two scores. Ball finished with 20 carries for 111 yards and a score.
Engstrom had four receptions for 53 yards. Rob Francis caught a 36-yard TD pass for St. Laurence.
Vikings kicker Colin Bagley hit a 39-yard field goal.
Les is a senior in what will be his only year as a starter. He won a battle for the spot last summer.
“He’s been really good in the running game and he’s a great decision-maker,” Nissen said. “Nine times out of 10, he’s made the right decision.”
Dixon didn’t go away quietly. With St. Laurence leading 24-21 in the third quarter, the Dukes had the ball at the Viking 4-yard line but came away without points. An errant snap on a 21-yard field-goal attempt resulted in an incomplete pass from the scrambling holder.
With St. Laurence leading 31-21 late in the fourth quarter, Vikings defensive back Jack Callaghan forced a fumble that was recovered by Jacob Bylina.
“I saw him break out, I saw a free shot and I took it,” Callaghan said of his fumble-forcing hit on Tyson Dambman. “Bylina is a heck of a player and that’s how our defense is.
“We’re a tough, blended-together unit.”
Nissen called the turnover a “huge momentum play.”
“Our defense is bend but don’t break and will give yards up, but they tighten up within the red zone,” he said. “[Callaghan] is a senior and a tough, hard-nosed kid. He works hard and that play sealed the deal and won us the game.”