Lemont overcomes the ultimate Brown out

LEMONT -- What can Brown do to you? Plenty.

But as remarkable a football player as Morgan Park 's DaRon Brown is, Lemont proved again Saturday night that a true team will beat talented individuals more often than not.

The Indians, despite losing standout tailback Danny Hayes, one of the Joliet area's leading rushers the last two seasons, to a shoulder injury and chasing Brown all over the field, scored early and often in posting a 49-26 victory in the second round of the Class 6A playoffs.

Brown did some damage against Lemont's proud defense, all right. He rushed for 257 yards in 21 carries and completed 11-of-22 passes for 155 yards. He also scored all four Morgan Park touchdowns.

And yet, he played from behind all the way.

Lemont (10-1) jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on Kyle Cyr's 11-yard pass to Lee Taylor and Cody Kamberos' 26-yard run, which came on his second play following the injury to Hayes.

"Danny could have come back if we really needed him," Lemont coach Eric Michaelsen said. "The doctor said it was probably some sort of shoulder bruise. But at Lemont, we always have another kid to step in."

Angel Cabral forced a fumble that Alan Wielgus recovered and returned 24 yards to the Morgan Park 3. Kamberos scored the subsequent touchdown on a 2-yard pass from Cyr.

Shortly aftern Robert intercepted a pass and raced 26 yards for a touchdown. When sophomore Josh Young kicked the fourth of his seven extra points, Lemont was breezing 28-0.

Still, the opponent was Morgan Park.

"I was never comfortable with the lead against that team," Michaelsen said. "But whenever they came back, we came back. I was glad to see that."

In fact, Brown scored on a 34-yard run and then on a 1-yard keeper set up by his 67-yard run as the Mustangs crept within 28-14 at the half.

But in the third quarter, Cyr, who completed 8-of-11 passes for 132 yards, scored on a 10-yard run. Before it was over, threw a 55-yard pass to Lee Taylor to set up Jack Forrest's 1-yard run and scored on a 19-yard run. Taylor finished with 4 receptions for 81 yards and Josh Ferry with 3 for 49.

"We played about as well as we could tonight," Michaelsen said. "Good teams will beat talented players.

"Our defense, we've been expecting it from them all year. Our defense definitely sets the tone. The defense scoring a touchdown and setting up a touchdown in the first half was huge for us, with the way this played out."

After winning two playoff games at home, Lemont will hit the road next week. The Indinas will journey to Danville, which beat Richards 30-20 Saturday night.

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