The winning continues for Rolling Meadows
Rolling Meadows sewed up at least a tie for the Mid-Suburban East football title by dispatching Hersey 47-7 on Friday.
And no matter what happens in Week 9, the Mustangs (8-0, 4-0) will be recognized as the league's champion for playoff seeding purposes for a fifth straight year.
The visiting Mustangs did it up right, getting big-time performances from quarterback Asher O'Hara and all-purpose back Devonte Amos.
O'Hara was nearly perfect, converting 22 of 23 passes - with the one miss being a interception by Hersey's Ryan Justice.
O'Hara finished with 269 yards passing and 4 touchdowns. Three of the scores were to Amos on passes of 68, 17 and 6 yards; Amos totaled 6 catches for 141 yards and he also carried three times for 31 yards and a 15-yard touchdown.
O'Hara was quick to praise to the offensive line of Andrew Neville, Tommy Larson, Jon Herring, Dawson Krull and William Rezny.
"The linemen tonight were just awesome," said O'Hara. "Hersey threw some new defensive looks at us, and we had to adjust. But I felt real good tonight throwing the ball. Everything was clicking. I had a lot of confidence behind the line. We were really prepared for this game."
"Asher's kind of a special player for us," said Mustangs coach Matt Mishler. "The receivers really made some big plays for us. The whole team really plays hard for each other."
Too many explosive plays did in the Huskies (3-5, 2-2).
"Their big plays really hurt us tonight," said Hersey coach Joe Pardun. "I thought we came out with some good energy. We slowed down their running game, but Asher played really well for them. They have a very balanced offensive team."
Rolling Meadows needed the lift it received from Amos and Nick Delporte. Running back Kevin Lacosse was lost for the game after the second play with a sprained left ankle, and a few plays later, the Mustangs' defense lost Blake Holfeld to a left knee injury.
"The other players stepped up and played for each other," said Mishler.
The first play following Lacosse's exit saw O'Hara team up with Amos for a 68-yard touchdown pass and a 6-0 lead. Rolling Meadows went up 13-0 on Amos' 15-yard from a pitch from O'Hara.
The Huskies struck back with quarterback Owen Goldsberry (9-for-20, 148 yards, 1 int.) connecting with Matt Abfall on a 49-yard scoring pass with 4.5 left in the first quarter. That closed the gap to 13-7.
Delporte, who rushed for 85 yards on 11 attempts, scored from the 21 with 2:24 left in the first half for a 20-7 Mustangs lead.
An interception by Willis Goodwin set up Amos' 17-yard pass from O'Hara with :11 left in the half for a 27-7 lead.
"A 4-touchdown game was a first for me in high school," said Amos. "I credit the coaches who started getting us ready from day one of practice. We have to be able to make the plays for the guy next to you on the field. After the Maine West game we came up with the motto, which is an old one - 'All for one, and one for all.' I really took that to heart and have played better since."
Jose Camacho caught a 7-yard pass from O'Hara late in the third quarter and Jared Axelrad scored from the 1 in the fourth quarter to finish the Mustangs' scoring.
Rolling Meadows finished with 509 yards of offense to Heresey's 258. Nick Wiley led the Huskies with 61 rushing yards on 13 attempts.
"This championship belongs to the players," said Mishler. "When things happen that don't go your way this team doesn't blink. They get ready for the next play."