Whether playing on offense or defense, Shepard senior Cam Tryon’s objective is to make game-changing plays.
Tryon made the most of his opportunities and did exactly that in the Astros’ battle against Evergreen Park in Week 5, parlaying three touches into two touchdowns in a 40-0 win over the host Mustangs in South Suburban Red action on Sept. 27.
The victory was the fourth straight for Shepard (4-1, 2-0 SSC Red), which since a 36-15 loss to Joliet West on opening night has two shutouts while outscoring its opponents a collective 158-20.
Evergreen Park (2-3, 1-1 SSC Red) dropped its second straight. The Mustangs likely must win three of their final four games to be eligible for the postseason.
Tryon, who plays wide receiver and defensive back, finished with a stat line that included one reception for 32 yards and a touchdown, a 69-yard interception return for a score and a 42-yard run that flipped the field and set up another TD.
“I go wherever I’m needed,” Tryon said. “I feel like if you just put me anywhere, I can make a play that will impact the game. It just kind of comes to me naturally, it feels like.”
Impact plays came from multiple sources for the Astros in the victory. Senior running back Anthony Loughran ran for 155 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yard scoring dash that implemented a running clock with 4:38 remaining in the game. Loughran also had two receptions for 29 yards.
Shepard senior quarterback Noah Vaughn was 8-of-16 passing for 115 yards and a touchdown, and ran for two scores and a 2-point conversion. One of those rushing touchdowns came from 22 yards out on fourth-and-goal.
The Astros defense did its part, limiting the Evergreen Park offense to 151 total yards (82 rushing, 59 passing. The Mustangs gained only 42 yards in the second half, and 28 of those came on one play.
The Shepard prevention corps recorded 14 tackles behind the line of scrimmage, including two sacks, for 42 yards in losses. Senior defensive tackle Chris Stavrakis finished with seven tackles, including two for losses, and forced a fumble that was recovered by junior linebacker Isaiah Martinez.
“This is the ‘Orange Crush’ defense, plain and simple,” Shepard coach John Rone said, referring to the nickname of the Astros defense in the early 1990s. “That defense was stellar and it’s been something we’ve been trying to get back to.”
The Shepard special teams chipped in with a blocked punt that set up the Astros offense deep in Mustangs territory and led to a Vaughn TD run.
Vaughn said the Week 1 loss to Joliet West, a Class 8A program, was an “eye-opener” after the senior-laden Astros came into the season with high expectations. Their goals include a conference championship and an extended playoff run.
To accomplish the former, they will need to beat Richards (4-1, 3-0 SSC Red) this week in a matchup that will likely determine who wins the Red. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in Palos Heights.
“I trust our offense and I trust our offensive line, I trust our skill players,” Vaughn said. “We can stretch the field, we can run the ball; I feel like we can do anything.
“We just have to play complementary football. I believe it will be a great game but I’ve got my guys in the end.”
