When he was a freshman, Keagan Ruane-Martino could not have predicted that he would someday be a star wide receiver for Lincoln-Way East.
For starters, he had never played football before. He said he spent some Friday nights watching games from the stands and cheering for the Griffins, but that was his football background.
Also, you don’t just join an elite program with zero experience and then experience success.
But he went out for the team as a sophomore and played on the junior varsity team before making varsity as a tight end and fullback for his junior season. It did not bode well for his senior year.
“I didn’t get a lot of opportunities with the football at all,” Ruane-Martino said.
After running track in the spring and seeing how fast he could be, that all changed for this season.
Ruane-Martino, a 6-foot-1, 185-pound receiver, caught four passes for 124 yards and two touchdowns Friday night to help the Griffins to a 38-7 win over host Minooka in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs.
Oregon commit Jonas Williams completed 21 of 38 passes for 319 yards and five TDs to lead Lincoln-Way East (11-0), throwing two TD strikes to Ruane-Martino and one apiece to Trey Zvonar, Talan White-Hatch and Luke Vetter.
On defense, Northwestern recruit Caden O’Rourke recovered a fumble to stymie Minooka (8-3) while Pierre Pelts and Mitchell Kieklak hauled down interceptions.
The top-seeded Griffins will host eight-seeded Stevenson (10-1) next weekend in the quarterfinals. The Patriots defeated ninth-seeded Glenbard East 35-7 Friday night.
It’s the third time in four years the Griffins met Minooka in the second round of the playoffs, and Lincoln-Way East won all three games by a combined score of 101-14.
Despite the lopsided final score, big plays weren’t easy to come by Friday night for the Griffins. But Williams and Ruane-Martino connected on exciting TDs of 60 and 41 yards in the second half.
“He’s unbelievable, man,” Williams said of Ruane-Martino. “His speed is unmatched, and when you get him the ball, he makes it happen.
“He’s a good target and he’s very quarterback-friendly. I throw it to him and he does all the work. He’s a great kid.”
Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar is amazed at how far Ruane-Martino has come in less than three years.
“He’s worked hard on his ball skills to be able to make big catches,” Zvonar said. “He’s been one of our best big-play threats for most of the season.
“We’re real proud of Keagan because he picked up the game a little bit late but he’s an amazing young man.”
Ruane entered Lincoln-Way East as a freshman looking to play baseball.
“I would not tell you freshman year that I would be doing what I’m doing,” Ruane said. “But I’m glad that I am.”
Connor Brewer and Charlie Cosich are his friends who were in the program, and they coaxed Ruane-Martino to try out as a sophomore. He said Zvonar and the team made him feel welcome.
“It’s hard to come into a program like Lincoln-Way East where it’s really competitive and the standard is so high,” he said. “But I’ve been with the program three years, and the people around me push me to be the best player I can be.
“I’m just trying to rise to that standard.”
Ruane-Martino helped his cause by joining the track team, where he surprised himself in the sprints and short relay events.
“We really didn’t know I was that fast,” he said. “I started track because I love competing, and there is nothing more competitive than running straight down the track.
“I like how it correlated over to football.”
Jeff Vorva is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.