Anzilotti and Richards dominate Oak Forest

Richards' two-way back Matt Anzilotti is listed at 5-7, 165. But you wouldn't know it by his play. Anzilotti had nine tackles and three sacks as the Bulldogs' defense dominated.

No. 21 Richards shut out visiting Oak Forest 21-0 Friday in a South Suburban crossover in Oak Lawn.

"I list [Anzilotti] at more than he weights to protect him," Richards coach Gary Korhonen said. "He's a tough son-of-a-gun. He and [Sean] Newsome are both wrestlers, and wrestlers are tough.

"Our defense did play well," Korhonen said. "This is the first time in five games against the 'Big Three' [Morgan Park, Oak Forest and Lemont] that it didn't come down to the last play. It did come down to the last quarter."

So how dominating was the defense for Richards (3-0)?

The No. 14 Bengals (2-1), didn't get their second first down of the game until just under five minutes to play in the third quarter. And Oak Forest didn't complete a pass until 9:34 to play.

"This is a rivalry and I was fired up," Anzilotti said. "All week long at practice [Korhonen] kept saying we had to win.

"Beating Morgan Park with [0.1 seconds to play] showed us that if we play with heart the whole game, we could shut them out."

A short punt gave Richards the ball at the Bengals' 40 in the first quarter. It took eight plays before Lamar Harvey (24 carries, 125 yards) scored on a six-yard run for a 7-0 lead.

"They have a very good defense," Harvey said. "Nothing really opened up for us until the second half.

"We try to work harder and harder every week. Last week, Morgan Park was like playing college guys with all their size and speed."

In the third quarter, Tommie Thomas, who ran for 60 yards, threw a 13-yard scoring pass to 6-4 Ryan Windt.

And in the fourth quarter, Thomas found 6-7 Shaun Pratl on a 23-yard pass, where Pratl danced just in bounds in the end zone.

"I ran a drag across the middle," Pratl said. "Tommie threw it to a spot where I was the only one who could get it. It was over the defensive back. Tommie and I have played together in basketball and football and there is a trust.

"Oak Forest is a great team and it wasn't easy. All three of their linebackers were some of the best we'll face all season. This was a game where our defense made it easy for the offense."

 

"For three quarters, Oak Forest was every bit as good as advertised," Korhonen said. "We came up with two big plays from Tommie to our twin towers."