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Football: Shepard Hangs on Against Oak Lawn, Awaits IHSA Playoff Fate

Shepard 18, Oak Lawn 14: Despite having only one offensive touchdown, Shepard did just enough to get its fifth win in a South Suburban Red battle with rival Oak Lawn.

Breaking It Down: Shepard hung on for an 18-14 victory over Oak Lawn on Friday night, securing its fifth victory and keeping its IHSA playoff hopes alive. Pairings will be announced on Saturday night.

Except for a punt return touchdown by Londell Lee, Shepard struggled on offense in the first half. Jimmy McClinton was erratic in the passing game, missing a couple of open receivers that would’ve gone for big gains. But Shephard overcame two first-half turnovers with a good drive in the final minute. McClinton went 4-for-6 for 35 yards on the drive, leading to a 38-yard field goal from Tommy Eyer and a 9-8 halftime lead.

Without backfield mate Ahmad Shatat, Oak Lawn's Sean Hayden was leaned on heavily in the running game. But Hayden did most of his damage on screen passes, giving quarterback Bob Olsen a short option a la Matt Forte with the Bears. Olsen was on his game in the first half and he hit Dan Townsend for a 29-yard touchdown in the second quarter.   

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Shepard found its running game in the second half as Cortez Miller ran for 95 yards, most after halftime, and was the catalyst for Shepard’s lone touchdown drive. The defense did just enough, stopping Oak Lawn’s final drive at the 15 with the Astros subsequently running out the clock

Patch’s MVP: Cameron Foreman, Shepard. With the Astros' defense reeling, Foreman came up with the big strip and fumble recovery, sealing the win for Shepard. Oak Lawn was driving and had the ball in the Astros’ red zone when Foreman stripped the ball from running back Sean Hayden.  

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Oak Lawn Stat Pack: Olsen finished 12-for-32 passing for 132 yards. He threw a touchdown, but had an interception. Hayden carried the ball 25 times for 109 yards, and he also had 45 receiving yards.

Shepard Stat Pack: McClinton was 11-for-24 passing for 123 yards with two interceptions. Lee had two receptions and 16 receiving yards, while Martice Weatherspoon finished with five receptions and 52 receiving yards.

Quotable I: “We just had to keep battling through adversity like our coach always tells us,” Foreman said.  

Quotable II: “The kids kept battling all year long and doing a good job,” Shepard coach Dominic Passolano said. “Now, we just have to wait.”

Team Records: Shepard finishes the regular season at 5-4 (4-2 South Suburban Red), while Oak Lawn falls to 4-5 (2-4 the conference).

What’s Next: Shepard remains eligible for the postseason, but is not ensured of a playoff spot. The Astros will find out their fate on Saturday night. Oak Lawn’s season is finished.  

Scores of Interest: Richards defeated Argo 48-12 and Evergreen Park topped Reavis 42-7. For more scores, visit the IHSA ScoreZone

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