Fisher's big night carries Mundelein over Elgin
Mundelein made it a clean sweep of Elgin schools on Friday night. After breaking a 16-game losing streak against Larkin last week, the Mustangs won their second straight with a come-from-behind 35-24 win over Elgin at Memorial Field.
Quarterback Colten Fisher led the way again for Mundelein. On the heels of a 400-yard rushing, 5-touchdown performance a week ago against the Royals, the senior signalcaller, who was celebrating his birthday, ran for 183 yards and passed for another 150 yards against the Maroons while accounting for all 5 touchdowns, 2 on the ground and 3 through the air.
"Something is changing around this team," said Fisher. "It's just a real positive feeling and it feels great. The hard work is finally paying off. We are used to playing from behind, but now we have the confidence that we can come back."
The Mustangs fell behind 24-21 midway through the third quarter, but Fisher engineered a 7-play, 60-yard drive, capped by a 26-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Woolford in the far corner of the end zone to give Mundelein the lead for good 28-24.
Mundelein (2-0) added an insurance touchdown with an 8-play, 66-yard drive in the fourth quarter. Fisher scored on 16-yard touchdown run.
"When we were down we just kept telling the kids just worry about winning the next play," Mundelein coach Larry Calhoun said. "You have to keep that mentality and not get too far ahead of yourself. This team is starting to learn how to win. We have a great senior class and they have really set the tone."
Fisher had a 43-yard touchdown on the Mustangs' first possession of the game and also threw a 7-yard touchdown to Sabian Rivera in the first half, but the Mustangs trailed 18-14 at the halftime. Fisher turned it up a notch in the second half. He capped a 63-yard drive to open the third quarter with a 10-yard touchdown strike to Antoine Hicks to put the Mustangs up 21-18.
"Colten is the real deal," Calhoun said. "He has really got acclimated to our offense and just keeps getting better and better."
Elgin quarterback Terrance Miller Allen put up some big numbers of his own with 140 yards rushing and 180 yards passing. He threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for another. However, the Mustangs held the Maroons (0-2) to just 75 yards and 1 touchdown in the second half.
"Their quarterback is an outstanding player," said Calhoun. 'We tried to make some adjustments on him in the second half by putting more edge pressure on him and we were able to force him into some mistakes."
The Maroons were plagued by 4 costly interceptions.
"Our biggest goal coming into the game was to take care of the ball," Elgin coach Anthony Mason said. "But you won't win many games and you don't deserve to win games when you turn it over 4 times. We had it in our grasp but we haven't quite got all three steps it takes to win yet and that is preparing to win, wanting to win and then going out and doing everything it takes to win."
Demetrius Shittu, David, Olechno, Isac Banuelos, and Chris Washington all had picks for Mundelein. Heberto Perez had a pair of sacks on defense for the Maroons.