Conference Champs Baby!

Sterling Football had already clinched at least a share of the NCIC-Northeast championship, but wanted no part of sharing it and it showed on October 14 as the Golden Warriors routed injury-riddled LaSalle ( Peru) 42-6 to complete an undefeated run through the conference.

Sterling scored touchdowns on all five first half possessions to grab a 35-0 halftime lead. Scoring those touchdowns would be Christian Temiquel twice on runs of 15 and 3 yards, Michael Trobaugh on a perfectly thrown 36 yard pass from Cory Renner, Renner on a six yard run and Joe Schneiderbauer on a three yard run.

Sterling’s defense limited LP to just 28 yards of total offense and three first downs in the first half.

Sterling’s starters played sparingly after halftime. Backup quarterback Michael Vercillo engineered the Warriors longest scoring drive – a 71 yard march that ended on Eric Cantu’s 22 yard burst into the end-zone early in the 4th quarter. Dan Megli carried the ball six times on the drive for 38 yards.

Freshman kicker Raciel O’Campo was 6-6 on conversion kicks and is now a perfect 15-15 over three games.

The Golden Warriors run through the conference was done in dominating fashion as they outscored their five opponents by a combined score of 171-47. Senior RB Graham Hall captured the conference rushing title, amassing 457 yards in five conference games. Fellow RB Christian Temiquel was third with 321. Sterling ranked #1 in the league in rushing offense (308.4 yds/g), total offense (344.4 yds/g), scoring offense (34.2 pts/g), rushing defense (84.6 yds/g), total defense (144.2 yds/g) and scoring defense (9.4 pts/g).

Sterling now looks to complete the 8th undefeated regular season in school history and first since 1994 this week against 2-6 East Moline .