Football:  Warriors Rout Dixon, Now Battle LP For Conference Title

Boxscore
Golden Warrior Radio Broadcast

After losing its NCIC-Reagan opener to Geneseo back on September 11, the SHS Football team has battled and put itself in position to win back-to-back conference championships.  Sterling’s 49-0 win at Dixon Friday night moved to Golden Warriors to 4-1 in the conference and into a first place tie with LaSalle-Peru and Morris.

Sterling scored in the games’ opening moments on Marcos Rivera’s 27 yard blocked punt return for a touchdown.  Chris Helfrich blocked the punt after a bad snap, then Rivera scooped up the loose football and motored into the end zone for his second return touchdown in as many games.

After a Dixon three-and-out offensive possession and a short punt, Chevy Bushaw reached the end zone to give Sterling a 15-0 lead and the rout was on.

Sterling added three more touchdowns in the second quarter.  Two coming on runs from Bushaw and Corey Judd.  The other on a Drew Neubauer to Dylan Eilers pass that covered 23 yards.

Leading 35-0 at halftime, Sterling added a pair of third quarter scores to the tally – a 28-yard run from Corey Hartz and a one yard plunge from sophomore Treyvon Solis.

Sterling’s defense suffocated the undermanned Dukes all night long, allowing just 71 yards of total offense and four first downs.

Judd rushed for 85 yards and became Sterling’s first 1000+ yard rusher since Kevin Megli in 2002.  He is the 12th Sterling back to go over 1000 yards in recorded school history.

The win marked Sterling’s 17th consecutive conference road victory, a string that dates back more than six years.

Now Sterling sets its sights on its regular season and conference finale against LaSalle-Peru Friday (10/23) at Roscoe Eades Stadium.  The winner earns at least a share of the NCIC-Reagan championship.  Sterling is trying to claim back-to-back conference titles for the first time since 1984.  LP is trying to win its first football conference title of any kind since 1979.