Imposing their will

Most everyone in attendance at Plainfield South Friday night would have thought the Oswego Panthers established its dominance on the offensive line early in the first quarter, at the very least in the second.

Running back Tim Riley rushed for 56 yards and a touchdown in the opening eight minutes. He rushed for 55 yards and another touchdown in the second quarter.

While the numbers may be a reality, to the big boys on the Panthers O-line, it was just perception.

For the seven guys that block up front, dominance in a 36-7 Southwest Prairie Conference win didn't come until much later.

"Probably by the end of the third quarter," left tackle Collin Seibert said. "Maybe the beginning of the fourth quarter."

Let me help here.

If the line -- the guys who physically imposed their will over the Cougars -- don't think they established themselves until the end of the third, I'll give you a point of reference.

Up 29-0, a penalty knocked the Panthers back to their own 4-yard line to start a drive with 33 seconds left in the quarter.

To get out of their own end, they ran Riley off the left side. It was perfectly executed as he finally outran his blockers at about the 20.

Game, set and match.

The line consists of Seibert at left tackle, Tyler Reeder and Alex Laughlin at left guard, Todd Groth is the center, Mike Wulff is at right guard and Mike Greenwood and Jordan

Jeffries are at right tackle.

They average 254 pounds and came in with a chip on their collective shoulders.

"We knew we didn't play to our full potential last week against (Plainfield) North," Seibert said. "We had to come out and we had to show. We had to show people what we could and that we could play better than we did last week." Did they ever.

The Cougars, who with a win would get back into the conference title chase, had no chance. None.

To make matters worse for Plainfield South, the Panthers ran Brandt Stone off center and guard, limiting Riley's attempts a bit and softening the middle of the Cougars defense. Those plays made Riley's off-tackle carries much more effective.

"We're a power football team and we just like running it," Jeffries said. "That was great. Once we knew that we could do it and get three, four yards a carry, we just kept pounding the football."

Standing together after the game, Seibert and Jeffries answered in unison -- what else would you expect from 0-lineman? -- when asked what they get out of a game like Friday's, where Riley scores three touchdowns and quarterback Nick Welch ran for one and tossed a two-point conversion. "Scoreboard," Jeffries said.

"Just winning," Seibert said.

"As long as we see get the 'W,'" Jeffries said with a smile. "The fast little running backs, they're going to get all the credit."

Seibert laughed too.

And the line will probably keep laughing, all the way to the playoffs. Next week Oswego will play undefeated Plainfield Central, and while they may not have a chip on their shoulder after Friday's performance, he offered up a scary thought for the Wildcats' defense.

"We work hard each week and we get better each week," he said. "We just improve. On everything."

jowczarski@scn1.com