Cory Les gives even more for St. Laurence
St. Laurence’s Cory Les is like a great actor who refuses to be stereotyped.
The Louisville recruit is a baseball star, but he is also a versatile two-way senior force in the football who excels offensively as a running back or as a quarterback operating within the Wildcat formation.
“It’s a mentality thing,” Les said of his style of play. “I never want to go down. I’ll go through you. If you don’t want to bring the pads, I’ll bring them.
“My style is hard and physical and I go downhill.”
Les started Friday night for the host Vikings, rushing for 177 yards and three touchdowns while throwing a touchdown pass in a 35-21 victory over Bradley-Bourbonnais in a Class 6A second-round playoff game in Burbank.
The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder is a man for all seasons for St. Laurence (7-4), which travels to Dunlap (9-2) for a 3 p.m. kickoff Saturday in the state quarterfinals.
In the spring, right-hander Les played infield, infield and also pitched. He hit .364 with a team-best 25 extra base hits to propel the Vikings to the Class 3A state championship.
Just like in baseball, you can’t assign him a role. In football, the regular four-year varsity player plays running back and receiver and throws the ball. He played as a safety and linebacker on defense.
This season, he has over 1,250 all-purpose yards and 15 total touchdowns.
“When I was hired, Cory told me not to worry about him getting tired because it would never happen,” said Patrick Swanson, who is in his first year as St. Laurence’s coach. “There is no ego.
“It’s just hard work and dedication. When he has the ball in his hands, it’s ruthless aggression.”
Senior quarterback Jimmy McDermott said Les’ versatility empowers the entire team.
“Cory is one of the most competitive people I know,” McDermott said. “He’s always the person that every one of our guys turns to when we need someone to play.”
“I think his willingness to do whatever it takes to win is a big part of that versatility.”
Les is used to pressure and the big stage. He knows how to avoid looking too far ahead.
“Never go too high or too low,” he said. “In baseball, you fail so much that one bad play doesn’t feel like the end of the world. That carries over to football: you just move on to the next play.
“Staying consistent with your mindset keeps you going whether things are going well or not.”
This approach and discipline is a family trait. He learned it from his older brother, Evan.
Two years ago, Evan was the starting quarterback as St. Laurence reached the Class 4A state championship game. Cory was a running back and linebacker for that team.
Evan is now a college sophomore playing football and baseball at Illinois Wesleyan.
“This experience was amazing,” Cory said. “And seeing my brother and other senior leaders was really special.”
“I saw how they held the team accountable and commanded the team – kept everyone together and set the standard.”
Cory thanked Swanson and baseball coach Pete Lotus for giving him the freedom to move between sports. The left-handed hitter takes to the batting cages to keep his swing in rhythm.
“You have to be committed to both sports and devote enough time to each,” Les said. “It’s not about overworking yourself, it’s about staying alert. It’s about being prepared when it’s time to play.
“I always focus on the sport of the season.”
Watching the St. Laurence football team lose a state championship game Saturday night highlighted Les’ legendary competitiveness.
“I hate losing more than I love winning,” he said. “It’s something I’ve always had in me. I came here to win, and to see that happen now with my best friends and teammates is a great feeling.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
