On Thursday, September 28th, the Scheck Hillel Lions played against Slam Boca, winning 53-6. The Offensive MVP of the game was 9th Grader Ethan Lazega, who had two catches for 30 yards and a touchdown. The Defensive MVP of the game was 11th grader Benjamin Winterman, who had two interceptions.

I spoke to Head Coach TJ Johnson about the win over Slam Boca. He gave me his thoughts on how well the team did on offense and defense, as well as the things that need improvement for the next game. Regarding the offense, he said that “The guys came together, were able to play together as a team, and exploit the weakness of the other team.” On the defense, he said that “We were able to coral the runners, pull the flags very well, and see the communication and team comradery.” Regarding improvement: “Just polishing our skills, and everything we do is on the right up and up and being professional.”

I also spoke with several players from the Lions after the big win. First, I talked to senior Matthew Zeer about his touchdown catch, what worked on offense, and the areas in which he excelled. On his touchdown catch, he said: “I was subbed in as running back and was told to run a wheel route. While I was running, I was thrown the ball and caught it one-handed, brought it to my chest, and slipped past two defenders for the touchdown.” On the offense’s success, he said: “What sparked our success was setting the tempo early and throwing deep to key players like Nolan and Alan, bringing momentum on our side.” On what he excelled at, Zeer said: “…blocking, reading the defense, and finding the holes. I was able to apply pressure on the QB.”

Senior Jeremy Schonfeld was asked about his two-point conversion catch: “My route was a curl. I lined up and ran the route, turned around, and saw Elie rolling to my side. He threw the ball to me. Since I wasn’t covered, it was an easy catch.” On the defense’s success, he said: “I thought we played well. We had a few picks and we were getting pressure from our rushers.” Schonfeld said that he excelled at “keeping composure and concentration while running routes.”

Freshman and offensive MVP of the game, Ethan Lazega, talked about his touchdown catch: “My route was an out. This was the first time I was going into the game and I was scared and nervous. On my route, I hesitated because I wasn’t sure if I would be able to score. After I caught the ball, my adrenaline got the best of me, and I was able to score.” On our team’s success, he said: “Our communication on both sides of the ball helped us succeed… In today’s game, I feel that I was able to excel at my route running by having crisp and clean routes.”