Travis Stamm has three TD catches, three INTs as Lyons tops Downers Grove South

WESTERN SPRINGS – If there was a football thrown in the air Nov. 8 at Lyons Township, chances are senior Travis Stamm caught it.

The Lions’ starting wide receiver and cornerback had three touchdown catches and three interceptions, including his second pick-six of the season, in Lyons’ 63-20 victory over Downers Grove South in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs.

[ Photo store: Lyons Township vs. Downers Grove South football ]

“Overall, offense and defense, this is the greatest game I’ve ever had,” said Stamm, a four-year starter and Illinois State commit.

“I’m just glad that it came at a big moment,’' he said. “We always stress to peak at the right time, and playoffs, that’s the time to play our best football all year.”

Lyons (11-0) advanced to the state quarterfinals for only the third time. The Lions will host Naperville Central (10-1), a 31-28 second-round winner over Fremd, at 7 p.m. Friday in the quarterfinals.

Downers South (8-3) trailed 28-14 at halftime before the Lions unleashed a 28-point third quarter to create a running clock.

“We did some uncharacteristic things penalty-wise and just made some mistakes in the first half that we can clean up. Overall, I thought we had a strong second half,” Lyons coach Jon Beutjer said.

“(Stamm is) such a great football player. He had such a good night as a receiver, too. He’s a good blocker. He’s fast. He’s athletic.”

Stamm had eight catches for 159 yards with touchdown catches of 21, 26 and 30 yards for the Lions’ second, fourth and sixth TDs.

His 18-yard interception return for a touchdown opened a 49-14 advantage.

Stamm’s first interception was among the biggest plays of the game.

On his first pass attempt, Lyons quarterback Dom Pisciotti was intercepted by the Mustangs’ Matthew Jacobs at the Lyons 32-yard line. On the next play, Stamm intercepted Downers South quarterback Dominic West’s bomb at the 4.

After a penalty, the Lions’ Danny Carroll had a 98-yard TD run for the game’s first score.

“It was a good play by that linebacker. We moved down from that (interception), our next-play mentality, just moving on,” Pisciotti said. “What sparked it was Carroll’s 98-yard touchdown run.”

Pisciotti finished 12 for 15 with personal bests of 327 passing yards and five TDs.

Carroll finished with 159 yards on 18 carries with another TD run of 11 yards for a 21-7 lead.

The Mustangs tied the game 7-7 on two offensive plays, a 73-yard run by Kayden Smith and a 7-yard TD run by Joseph Vieyra.

The Lions scored TDs on their next three possessions.

Keon Maggitt’s 96-yard kickoff return for a TD kept the Mustangs in sight at 21-14.

Smith rushed for 103 yards and West passed for 40.

“We didn’t turn the ball over very much this year. Those pick-sixes don’t help and we struggled to run the ball,” Downers South coach Mark Molinari said.

“(Stamm is a) solid, very good player. Downers North’s got a few good players but he’s definitely one of the top kids that we’ve seen for sure.”

In the third quarter, Stamm’s second interception at the Lyons 33 was followed by a 67-yard TD pass play between Pisciotti and Mack Long.

Piscotti later threw a 26-yard TD pass to Brady Rusk.

The Lions’ Tanner Rivera had the game’s last score with a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Earlier in the fourth quarter, the Mustangs’ Gavin Powels blocked a punt and returned the ball five yards for a TD.

Stamm was a key part of the Lions’ 2022 team that lost in the state quarterfinals. The Lions also lost in the quarterfinals in the six-class 6A playoffs in 1987, the last time they won the West Suburban Conference Silver outright until this season.

“That’s the target this week. We’ve got to make it to the semifinals,” Stamm said. “It’s back to square one. We’re 0-0 fighting every day and we’ve just got to keep moving forward.”

Making their fourth straight playoff appearance, the Mustangs had won seven straight, including their first playoff victory since 2011, and captured their third straight West Suburban Gold title.

“There’s some talent in the program. We’re just slowly getting back but this was a big step this year,” Molinari said. “I think you’re going to see Downers South in the second and third round the next couple of years consistently.”

Downers South played without injured starting nose guard Ryker Dudley.

Lyons was without injured starting middle linebacker Pat Cheney, who remains day to day.