The Lockport Porters are moving on. In a dramatic Class 8A second-round IHSA playoff matchup, Lockport held off a charging late comeback from Homewood-Flossmoor to secure a 21–20 victory on Saturday, Nov.8. The win avenged an early season loss to the Vikings and sent the Porters to the state quarterfinals.

Homewood-Flossmoor opened the scoring in the first quarter to take a 7–0 lead, but Lockport responded quickly when senior quarterback Brendan Mecher powered into the end zone from nine yards out. After an H-F penalty moved the ball closer on the extra point, the Porters elected to go for two and converted, giving them an 8–7 lead at halftime.

In the second half, senior running back Chris Miller helped Lockport gain control, finishing with over 100 rushing yards. His fourth-quarter touchdown increased the lead to 14–7, and shortly after, Mecher broke free on a crucial fourth-and-four for an 18-yard touchdown, pushing the margin to 21–7.

However, the Vikings rallied late. They scored with six minutes left in the fourth quarter to make it 21–14. Flossmoor then made a crucial stop on defense, forcing the porters to punt. The team marched down the field and scored again with under a minute remaining, cutting the score to 21–20. Instead of kicking the extra point, they elected to go for two and the lead.

That’s when Lockport junior defensive back Matt Kies made one of the biggest plays of the season for the team, deflecting the two-point conversion pass in the end zone to keep the Porters in front.

But the game still wasn’t over.

Homewood-Flossmoor attempted an onside kick and recovered it, giving them one final possession and a chance to steal the game. The Vikings drove near midfield, looking to push into scoring range.

This time, senior linebacker #0 Drew Silzer ended the comeback attempt for good. Reading the quarterback’s eyes on a pass downfield, Silzer stepped in front of the pass and intercepted the ball, sealing the win.

“We weren’t rattled. We knew we just needed one stop. I saw the ball go up and knew I had to make the play. That moment is something I’ll remember forever,” Silzer expressed afterward.

The victory pushes Lockport to 8–3 on the season and sends the Porters into the quarterfinals, where they will face Barrington.

Final Score: Lockport 21, Homewood-Flossmoor 20. Survive and advance.