Lakes' Eagles are soaring to unexpected heights just three games into the season as they picked up their third straight victory with a 42-14 thumping over host Round Lake in the North Suburban (Prairie) division opener on Friday night.
Junior quarterback Randy Ratajczyk (8 of 17 for 149 yards passing) rushed for a score and threw for a touchdown pass in a reserve role for starting quarterback Richard Fisher, injured with a concussion.
"It was nerve wracking at first, but my team picked me up," Ratajczyk said. "Coach Mertens mentioned to keep my head up and keep going. [Fisher] took a tough hit but he's a tough kid."
Lakes (3-0, 1-0) still flew out to sizable lead early on.
"We're winning ugly and it has to stop at some point," Lakes coach Luke Mertens said. "We're happy to win but we really need to fix some things.
"Getting up 28-0 you can't ask for anything better than that. We executed things flawlessly."
The Eagles let the game get interesting in the second quarter, when Round Lake (2-1, 0-1) clawed right back into the game at 28-14.
The Panthers' CJ Swanson scored on a 1 yard run and defensive lineman Chris Larsen (6'1, 230) intercepted a Ratajczyk pass and carried it 45 yards for the score.
"Being a lineman you usually don't get a chance to get a ball like that," Larsen said. "I really didn't think I would get there."
Just a play earlier, Lakes starting senior quarterback Fisher left the game with a concussion. Fisher had made a run down the sidelines for 16 yards and took a solid hit from Round Lake's Kyle Jakubisin.
Lakes went on another route in the fourth quarter. Ted Bariamis (7 catches for 112 yards) caught a 30-yard touchdown pass from Ratajczyk.
"I figured I would score tonight," Bariamis said. "I just went out there to play to win."
Ratajczyk also added a rushing touchdown making the score 42-14.
The Panthers had their chances to catch up but couldn't get it going.
"We had some moments in the second quarter," Round Lake coach Doug Moss said. "We just needed a way to punch in one more score to get closer. Every time we tried something to do, they (Lakes) countered it."
Round Lake also lost a couple more players to injury, running back Tim Smith to an ankle injury and Andre Krueger to a shoulder injury.
Lakes - Fisher 1 run (Pohlman kick).
Lakes - F. Soto 1 run (Pohlman kick).
Lakes - F. Soto 1 run (Pohlman kick).
Lakes - Bariamas 3 run (Pohlman kick).
RL - Swanson 4 run (McCracken kick).
RL - Larsen 45 Interceptiion return (McCracken kick).
Lakes - Bariamis 30 pass from Ratajczyk (Pohlman kick)
Lakes - Ratajczyk 1 run (Pohlman kick)