Justin Cobbs, Lincoln-Way Central top Andrew
Lincoln-Way Central’s Justin Cobbs has had some great opportunities to carry the ball since Luke Tingley was injured in the second week of the season.
But make no mistake, the 5-foot-7, 185-pound senior running back is not happy that Tingley is on the shelf with a broken tibia and fibula.
“I do all this for him,” Cobbs said of his teammate. “I hope he comes back and we can do it together.”
Tingley, who said he was going to the doctor Thursday for a progress report, is keeping his fingers crossed for a possible return this season.
“When I first got injured, they said I would be out for 3 to 10 months,” Tingley said. “But I’m ahead of schedule.”
In Tingley’s absence, Cobbs is putting up big numbers. He rushed for 133 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries Friday night in a 28-21 Southwest Valley Red win over host Andrew at Tinley Park.
Senior receiver/running back Lucas Andresen also continued to take charge as Lincoln-Way Central’s (6-1, 4-1) lead, throwing for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries.
Cobbs, however, had an incredible 35-yard TD run with 1:20 left in the fourth quarter. He pushed his way into the pile but somehow emerged, running to the right to give the Knights the lead. Joe Rafferty iced the win with an interception.
“I honestly couldn’t even tell you what happened on that last play,” said Cobbs, who also had a 57-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. “I just remember coming out of that little pile and there was only one guy left to beat. I made a cut and I was out.”
Senior quarterback Drew Woodburn was just as stunned as Cobbs.
“I saw a big pile and I saw it escape,” Woodburn said. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, he’s gone.’ It was really exciting.
Andresen added TD runs of 85 and 5 yards. The 85-yard burst was a big momentum swing, coming with 14 seconds left in the first half and just 14 seconds after Andrew (4-3, 2-2) scored to take a 14-7 lead.
Junior linebacker Grant Ruppert returned a fumble recovery 28 yards for a touchdown, while junior running back Landon Paredes hit senior quarterback Camden Maniatis with a trick play for a touchdown and Mariatis threw a scoring pass to Jameson O’Reilly. That was almost enough for the Thunderbolts.
Sophomore defensive lineman Nicholas Paczesny also committed a fumble in the third quarter for the Knights, who have clinched a playoff berth for the third straight season and have their eyes set on an 8-1 record in hopes of securing a home game for the first round of the Class 7A playoffs.
It helps that Cobbs shows a knack for moving around and escaping the pile.
“I’ll tell you what — I love this kid,” Lincoln-Way Central coach Dave Woodburn said of Cobbs. “My heart goes out to him because of how hard he works. He fights through adversity.
“He takes care of it all the time. He keeps coming back and rallying around this team and the team is rallying around him. I’m really proud of him. You saw what he was capable of at the end.”
Woodburn described Cobbs’ style as resembling a “bowling ball.” He plays downhill.
But even with his size, Cobbs is difficult to face. He may struggle to generate much recruiting interest, but he said he has a few colleges looking at him.
He has been playing football since he was 5 years old and still wants to continue.
“I like playing soccer because I like to compete and I like to run with the ball, obviously,” Cobbs said. “I also enjoy bonding with my teammates.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
