Ocampo’s Three Field Goals Lift Warriors Over Lemont

The Sterling Golden Warriors took to the road for the first time this season and, thanks to the right leg of sophomore K Raciel Ocampo, were able to celebrate a victory on the long bus ride home.

Sterling traveled two hours to Lemont to take on the 5th ranked team in Class 6A, knowing that they would have to play near flawless football to improve to 2-0. Lemont was highly touted coming into the season and badly needed a win after dropping their opener, 17-12 to Chatham-Glenwood.

The game did not start promising for the Golden Warriors. They were stopped on 4th and inches at their own 29 on the game’s opening drive. Lemont QB Brett Nagel scored from 19 yards out just 3 plays later to put the Indians on top 6-0 with 8:41 left in the 1st quarter.

Sterling responded with an 80-yard scoring drive on its next possession. QB Cory Renner found RB Codtey Albright downfield and fired a perfect pass that allowed Albright to haul in the pass and scamper past the Lemont defenders for a 25-yard touchdown. Ocampo’s PAT made it 7-6 in favor of the Golden Warriors with 2:43 remaining in the 1st.

RB Joe Schneiderbauer boosted Sterling’s lead to 13-6 at 2:19 in the 2nd quarter, breaking loose for a 30-yard TD run to cap off a 10 play/83 yard drive. However, Lemont came right back and pulled within 1 at 13-12 as Tim Cummins scored from 15 yards out with 1:15 left in the half. Rather than knot the score at 13, Lemont ran a fake on the PAT, but a pass attempt was knocked down by Sterling DB Adam Osterhaus.

With a little momentum on their side, Sterling quickly drove into Lemont territory and called on Ocampo to try a 34-yard field goal with :03 left in the half. The sophomore easily split the uprights for his first varsity field goal and gave the Golden Warriors a 16-12 lead going into halftime.

Lemont started the 2nd half by moving the ball downfield, but a pass by Nagel was picked off by Albright, who returned it 35 yards. Sterling capitalized on the mistake by adding a 31-yard field goal by Ocampo at the 6:40 mark of the 3rd quarter to go ahead 19-12.

A 40-yard pass from Renner to WR Michael Trobaugh would set up Sterling’s final score of the night with 6:41 left in the game. Ocampo cashed in from 31 yards out this time to put the Golden Warriors on top 22-12.

Lemont closed the gap late with a 10-yard TD reception by Aaron Nagel with 1:13 left in the game. The subsequent PAT made the score 22-19 and Lemont was forced to attempt an onside kick. Sterling’s Colt Preston scooped up the onside attempt and dashed any hope of a comeback by Lemont.

Schneiderbauer led the Golden Warriors with 78 yards rushing on 6 carries. Albright carried 7 times for 69 yards and FB Mason Temiquel ran for 59 tough yards on 16 carries. Renner completed 5 passes for 97 yards and Trobaugh caught two balls for 51 yards.

As a team, Sterling out-gained Lemont 312-220 (total yards) and had the ball for 31:18, compared to just 16:32 for Lemont.

The victory by Sterling improved the Golden Warriors to 2-0 and ran their regular season winning streak to 13 games.

Sterling, now ranked #4 in Class 5A, plays host to Greendale (WI) on Friday night.

Sterling at Lemont Boxscore