Football:  Warriors Knock Off LP, Claim Conference Crown

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Golden Warrior Radio Broadcast

At the mud bowl formerly known as Roscoe Eades Stadium in Sterling Friday, the SHS Football team knocked off LaSalle-Peru 27-7 to claim the NCIC-Reagan championship for the second consecutive year. Sterling shares the conference crown with Morris, but the Golden Warriors beat the Redskins 21-0 head-to-head in week-6.

Corey Judd sloshed through the mud for 166 and four touchdowns, and Sterling’s defense, aided by the poor playing conditions, held LP’s high-powered offense to just one touchdown and 178 yards of total offense.

LP (7-2, 4-2) had a chance to take the early lead after Sterling fumbled at its own 21-yard line on the games’ second play.  LP drove to the Sterling three and when the drive stalled, lined up for a 20-yard field goal.  Sterling’s Johnny Lopez blocked the kick – Jake Steele’s first miss of an extra point or field goal attempt all season – and Sterling had dodged a huge bullet.

Sterling (7-2, 5-1) launched the games first scoring drive two possessions later.  Taking over at their own 22-yard line, the Golden Warriors went on a 78-yard touchdown march.  Key plays included Ryan Billings’ 22-yard halfback option pass to Anthony Adamson and a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on LP.  Judd capped off the drive with a 16 yard run an after Saloman Ocampo’s extra point kick hit and bounced over the cross bar, Sterling had a 7-0 lead.

Sterling’s second first-half touchdown came after LP botched a punt deep in its own territory.  The LP punter fell on a snap that sailed over his head at the Cavalier three-yard line.  Two plays later, Judd found the end zone again for a 13-0 Golden Warrior lead, which is where the score stayed for the remainder of the half.

LP, which entered the game ranked eighth in the state in class 5A according to the Associated Press, took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored its only touchdown.  QB Sam Renk had runs of 15, 16 and 21 yards on the nine-play 64-yard drive.  Renk’s 21-yard run was for the touchdown.

On Sterling’s ensuing possession, after a pair of penalties, the Golden Warriors were in a second-and-30 hole from their own 48-yard line.  With the momentum of the game clearly with LP, Judd restored order by racing through the mud at midfield and down the left sideline for 48 yards to the LP five.  He scored on the next play to put Sterling back up by two scores at 20-7.

LP’s next drive stalled at the Sterling 23.  After taking over on downs with 8:14 left in the game, the Warrior offense began a long, methodical march up the field.  On the 12th play of the drive at the LP 22, the Warriors faced a fourth-and-two situation with 1:25 left in the game.  Sterling coach Greg King called on Judd once again, and the senior delivered with not only a first down run, but a 22-yard touchdown scamper to put the game on ice.

Sterling wins back-to-back conference championships for the first time since 1984, and thwarts LP’s effort to win its first conference title since 1979.  Sterling’s senior class won conference championships as freshmen, sophomores, juniors and now as seniors.  The group lost a grand total of one league game in four years.

Sterling now takes a six-game winning streak into the IHSA playoffs next week.  The pairings will be announced Saturday night.