Football: Judd, Hartz Power Warriors Past Morton

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Golden Warrior Radio Broadcast

Corey Hartz returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and Corey Judd rushed for 217 yards and three touchdowns to lead the SHS Football team to a 30-15 season-opening win at Morton Friday.

Hartz’ kickoff return came midway through the first quarter after Morton had taken a 7-0 lead.

Judd put Sterling on top 14-7 with a four-yard run in the second quarter. It stayed 14-7 until the early stages of the fourth quarter when the Warriors blitzed Morton with 16 points in less that one-minute of play.

One play after Morton turned the ball over on downs at the Sterling 34 yard line, Judd broke free for a 66 yard touchdown run to make it 21-7. After Morton botched the ensuing kickoff, resulting in the ball being downed at the one yard line, Sterling’s bottled up Morton’s Dakota Klein in his own end zone for a safety to make it 23-7. On the second play after the Morton’s free kick, Judd dialed long distance again - this time covering 40 yards for another score.

Judd’s 217-yard effort came on just 16 carries. 187 of the yards came after halftime. He is Sterling’s first 200+ yard rusher since then junior Graham Hall went for 200 against Metamora in week one of the 2004 season. It also ties him for 18th (with Jack Dombrowski - 1971) on Sterling's all-time single game rushing list (see below).

Sterling has won five straight season opening games and is 17-2 in week one since 1991.

Sterling lost the preliminary freshman game 21-8.

Next week, Sterling hosts Lemont – the #3 ranked team in state in class 6A according to the Associated Press.