Argo coach Phillip Rossberg’s message to his team before a Week 8 matchup with Oak Lawn was clear: Play well and beat the Spartans to keep hopes of a third consecutive state playoff berth alive.
The Argonauts did just that, rolling to a 44-7 South Suburban Red win that snapped a four-game losing streak.
Argo (4-4, 2-3) hosts Evergreen Park (3-5, 2-3) on Friday night in the regular-season finale.
“I was happy with the way the kids responded after losing four straight,” Rossberg said. “We told the seniors they were guaranteed two more games, and they were playing to earn another game.
“I know that Evergreen Park will play us tough and hard, and we’re looking forward to Friday for sure.”
Argo’s ground game was the key against the Spartans (0-8, 0-6), producing 336 rushing yards. Leading the way was senior running back Steven Holmes, who had 22 carries for 209 yards and scored on runs of 21, 7 and 4 yards.
Also contributing was senior quarterback Jacob Van Allen, who ran for 111 yards on five attempts, with touchdowns of 1 and 75 yards. Argo led 35-0 at halftime.
Another key contributor was senior kicker Kacper Lobas, who made field goals of 48, 32, and 25 yards. The 48-yarder set a school record.
In addition to his success on the field, Lobas — who started his Argo career playing soccer — excels in the classroom, maintaining a 3.9 GPA. He has been the starting kicker and punter for the Argonauts for the past two seasons.
“It was cool to unleash him,” Rossberg said. “He works his tail off every day, and there’s all the time and effort he’s put into training. He has his routines, and he does his job very well.
“He’s a good kid with a great work ethic. He’s focused, diligent, and determined to be the best he can be. It’s crazy. He’s very self-sufficient. I’m excited to see where he goes in the future.”
A win over Evergreen Park likely would give Argo its sixth state playoff berth in program history. Besides the two under Rossberg, the Argonauts advanced to the postseason in 1998, 2001, and 2013 under Jim Innis.
“We’re just trying to get that fifth win,” Rossberg said. “Our goal was 6-3 or better at the beginning of the year. But our focus now is that we had two guaranteed games, and we were playing for another one. They responded really well.”