Virtually uncatchable as a sprinter during the spring in track, senior running back Harley Rizzs knows how to flip the calendar to fall and show off his burst on the football field for St. Laurence. He’s electric, and besides having patience, Rizzs came into the season ready to prove it. “Last year, I played behind a really good running back, so whenever I came in, I tried to make as many plays as I could,” he said of the difference from junior year. “Now, I’m the lead guy. “I love this game and I put my body on the line.” Rizzs provided a strong body of work Saturday, creating an early spark with a touchdown run against host DePaul Prep during a 26-14 loss in a Class 4A state quarterfinal game in Chicago. The Viking (8-4) watched a 14-0 halftime lead get vaporized in the second half with six possessions that didn’t yield a single first down while producing minus-16 yards and a lost fumble. Senior defensive end Jace Chamberlain came up with an interception and a sack on fourth down that led to a 15-yard loss in the first quarter that set up St. Laurence’s first TD. Senior quarterback Chase Kwiatkowski also connected with senior tight end Kyle Richardson on a 10-yard TD pass. Rizzs, meanwhile, finished with 68 yards on 19 carries and a 15-yard TD. St. Laurence’s Harley Rizzs (22) runs the ball in for a TD against DePaul during a Class 4A state quarterfinal game in Chicago on on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Patrick Gorski / Daily Southtown) That score, which came in the second quarter, proved to be the Vikings’ final highlight on offense. “I’m really proud of what our team has done,” Rizzs said of St. Laurence, which graduated 15 starters from last year’s team that reached the state championship game. “We’ve been doubted this whole year, and people said we graduated all of our talent. “We knew what we could do on the ground (Saturday), and we just stuck with it. Maybe DePaul adjusted in the second half. I’m never going to blame the guys.” An apparent go-ahead 71-yard TD run by Rizzs in the third quarter was nullified by a holding call. As a junior last year, Rizzs won the 100 meters in Class 2A, ran a leg on the 400-meter relay team that won state and finished third in the 200 to help the team to a fourth-place finish in the state. St. Laurence’s Kyle Richardson (40) scores a TD against DePaul Prep during a Class 4A state quarterfinal game in Chicago on on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Patrick Gorski / Daily Southtown) Despite missing two full games with a high ankle sprain, he ended up with 17 TDs. “It’s just amazing you have an athlete like that with his speed,” Kwiatkowski said in praise of Rizzs. “The whole year we were a one-two punch, and teams couldn’t focus on just one of us. “With his vision and his speed, you can’t beat those two qualities. He hits the hole and he’s gone.” Indeed, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound Rizzs has the size to break tackles and move the pile. As a junior, he played behind standout Aaron Ball, the leading rusher for the Vikings’ state runner-up. “He never complained or pointed a finger,” St. Laurence coach Adam Nissen said. “That’s a testament to the way he is. His speed speaks for itself, but he’s got an elite vision and he’s tough. “I can think of a handful of runs he’s had over the years where he runs into the pile and then he shoots out the back end.” St. Laurence’s Harley Rizzs (22) takes the handoff against DePaul Prep during a Class 4A state quarterfinal game in Chicago on on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024. (Patrick Gorski / Daily Southtown) Rizzs is not only creative as a playmaker in football. Off the field, he has developed a fondness for photography, with a Canon digital camera being his preferred technology. He also had a picture in his mind of how he wanted this season to go. “Our plan was to get back to the state championship game,” Rizzs said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get the win, but our team put in 100% effort.” Rizzs, who has not generated much interest from colleges for football, hopes to use track as a pathway to opening up opportunities. “A lot of college coaches like speed,” he said. ”I’ve always been a guy who was learning until my opportunity came to me. (Saturday) was tough, but I’ll learn from it and be better prepared for life.” Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.