Big night from Edwards powers Warren over Mundelein
Warren's football team didn't allow a point in the first quarter of its North Suburban Conference game at Mundelein on Friday night.
No surprise.
The Blue Devils had allowed a combined 13 points in their first 6 games this fall.
Warren didn't score a point in the first quarter Friday night.
Surprise.
The Blue Devils had amassed 235 points entering the game.
Warren then struck for 3 touchdowns in the first 6-plus minutes of the second quarter and tacked on 2 more to earn a 35-0 lead at the half.
The visitors from Gurnee ended up romping to a 54-0 victory - their fifth shutout of the season - behind dynamic senior running back Maurice Edwards (8 carries, 211 rushing yards, 5 touchdowns).
Edwards' tallies covered 37, 39, 50, 2 and 68 yards.
His fifth TD opened the scoring in the second half.
All the 6-foot, 195-pounder did on a pleasant night was average 26.4 yards per carry.
Twenty-six.
Point.
Four.
Try to digest that, folks.
Warren (6-1, 5-0) also got a 70-yard interception return for a TD from senior defensive back Benjamin Wilson in the third quarter; an 83-yard TD toss from senior quarterback Aidan Lucero to junior Jailen Duffie (who also came down with an eye-catching INT); and a 78-yard TD sprint from junior reserve running back Charley Thompson to cap the scoring at 1:54 of the fourth quarter.
Lucero, who completed his first 6 pass attempts, finished 6-of-7 for 169 yards, including 64 to junior tight end Xavier Schild (3 receptions). His first connection, a 21-yarder on the Blue Devils' second play from scrimmage, landed in the hands of senior wide receiver Jaylen Williams.
A slew of penalties and a fumble recovery by Mustangs senior DB Nathan Miller, on Mundelein's 24-yard yard line, slowed Warren in the first frame.
Mundelein (3-4, 2-3), an inspired bunch early, was led by junior running back Xavier Ortiz (14 carries, 48 yards) and senior wideout Omari Rhinehart (6 receptions, 26 yards).
Warren defeated Mundelein 48-0 in the teams' spring meeting and finished the truncated season with a 6-0 record.
Warren, the Class 8A state runner-up in 2019, improved to 25-2 since the start of the '19 season.