Warren routs Lake Zurich
Friday night's game between the Warren Blue Devils and Lake Zurich Bears was scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.
But a weather delay pushed the varsity game back 45 minutes for an 8:15 p.m. kickoff.
For the visiting Blue Devils, the delay didn't have an impact, especially since the team had a dominant 42-0 victory.
"We try to put them through things during the week to test their composure and things like that," Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. "It really didn't affect them. They're in the locker room, listening to music ... and kind of went about their business."
Warren quarterback Aidan Lucero started the game 0-for-2 and was intercepted by Lake Zurich junior Tyler Erkman.
But that was the worst of Warren's night.
On the Blue Devils' next offensive possession, Lucero handed the ball off to senior running back Maurice Edwards and the other 21 players on the field watched as Edwards ran down the right sideline for an 85-yard touchdown.
Edwards - a Vanderbilt recruit - finished the game with 8 carries for 173 yards and ran for 4 touchdowns.
"When he (Edwards) is playing like that, it's really tough to beat us," McNulty said. "Our offensive line did a great job and when you usually get Maurice to the second level, he is a SEC commit, so he is usually going to do really good things."
On Warren's third possession, Lucero completed his first pass attempt after his interception on an accurate 48-yard pass down the middle of the field to junior Jalen Duffie.
Warren's third scoring drive of the game featured a lot senior running back Benjamin McLaughlin. On the 12-play, 65-yard drive, McLaughlin carried the ball nine times and scored on his final attempt, with a 1-yard run.
That made the game 20-0 with 4:52 left in the half.
The Blue Devils' defense forced its first turnover of the game on the following possession thanks to Cassius Callahan's interception.
Warren took over on its own 48-yard line and drove down the field to score the final touchdown of the half with Edwards' 1-yard score.
The dominant first-half performance carried over into the third quarter. Callahan's kick return setup the offense on the 39-yard line, and senior Joel Williams took the handoff and went along the left sideline for a 61-yard touchdown.
The Bears did have a sign of life following the score. Running back Ben Cooper broke off a 67-yard run, but the Bears fumbled on the next play.
The Blue Devils, who started on their own 16, went on a 7-play drive that ended with a 34-yard touchdown run by Edwards.
And Warren's defense finished the night by blocking a punt, which resulted in a safety.
The Blue Devils' defense registered its third shutout of the season and Warren has outscored its last two opponents 98-0.