On His Game: Old-School Solner Has L-W East Football Streaking

There’s no doubt that football fans love high scoring, especially when it involves big-time plays by exceptional players at the skilled positions.

The football team has averaged 42.5 points in its first four games and has three flashy playmakers in quarterback Blake Winkler and wide receivers Jay Yancy and J.J. Robertson.

Often, the high-octane offense of a team can overshadow the efforts of its defensive counterparts.

The Griffins have surrendered 14 points per game and just 56 points overall. One of the leaders of their defensive unit is senior lineman Matt Solner.

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Solner also has launched into the fireworks on offense as he scored on a touchdown run in the team’s opening win against Edwardsville.

“He’s a blue collar kid with great size and athleticism,” Lincoln-Way East coach Rob Zvonar said. “Matt Solnar is just a throwback.”

Solner, who in addition to training hard in the off-season was able to beat up on opponents as a member of the Lincoln-Way Penguins rubgy club, is drawing interest from several colleges.

Eastern Michigan already has offered him a scholarship. He’s also drawing interest from Ball State, Bowling Green and other Mid-American Conference schools.

For now, he’s trying to lead the Griffins (4-0, 2-0 Southwest Suburban Blue) to another conference title and perhaps its second state championship.

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