Senior linebacker Conor Tully and the Oswego defense felt confident in their ability to stop the run during Saturday’s Class 8A second-round playoff game against Lane.

That confidence wasn’t misplaced. Tully and the Panthers limited the Champions to just eight rushing yards in the first half.

With the ground game under control, Oswego stifled the Lane passing attack in the second half, where defensive backs Devin Mata and Quinten Jackson Jr. each snagged interceptions, with Jackson Jr. running his back 70 yards for a touchdown near the end of the fourth quarter.

The Panthers, who finished with four sacks and blocked two punts, shut out Lane in the second half to beat the Champions 45-10 and reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2017.

“We knew from the first half that we co

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