'Thunder and Lightning' Has Tinley Park Football at 4-0

football team held serve at home Friday night.

With a scheduling rarity that saw their first four games in a friendly atmosphere, (2-2) in front of their homecoming crowd.

“We wanted to show (the homecoming crowd) what Titans football is all about,” Tinley Park head coach Nick Johnson said. “The kids hustled on and off the field tonight. I’m proud of our team and our players for their win.”

Behind shifty quarterback Kyle Sheridan and an experienced offensive line, the Titans continue to rack up big plays on the ground. Tinley Park employs a thunder-and-lightning approach—sophomore running back Preston Thompson rumbles between the tackles, while senior running back Gregory Wallace provides the speed and big-play ability. 

The pair combined for 222 yards on the ground and four touchdowns Friday night. Wallace added another score when, for the second week in a row, he returned a kickoff for a touchdown, taking the ball 99 yards to pay dirt.

“Thompson is a little bowling ball. He keeps plugging away behind the line,” Johnston said of his 5-foot-7, 215-pound back. “Wallace, when he breaks it, is tough to bring down with his speed. They work hard at practice together and it’s a nice dynamic with them switching off.”

Despite the fact that Tinley’s defense allowed 27 points to Evergreen Park’s offense, Johnston was pleased with the improved tackling shown by his club, though he hopes the unit can cut down on surrendering big plays.

Titans defensive end Michael McCullough helped bolster the Tinley Park defensive line with two sacks and a forced fumble.  

“We knew we had to give up less points this week,” McCullough said, referring to the  “We’ve been working hard in practice, and tonight we played as more of a team than as individuals.”

As the offense continues to be a dominant force, the Titans will need the improved play from their defense next week.  Tinley Park travels to conference power Lemont in a battle of unbeaten teams.

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