Sterling in complete control after two quick TDs early

STERLING – The Golden Warriors have shown a penchant for big plays and quick scores, but nothing like the blink-and-you’d-miss-it touchdowns they put together Saturday afternoon.

Sterling scored 6 seconds apart about 4 minutes into its Class 5A first-round playoff game against St. Viator (5-5), and that set the tone for an easier-than-expected 48-0 rout of the Lions at Roscoe Eades Stadium.

“I didn’t expect the first half to look like that on the scoreboard,” Sterling coach Jon Schlemmer said, “but it goes to show our defense has just been lights-out lately. From the get-go, we got out and did what we talked about all week.”

After forcing a three-and-out on St. Viator’s opening possession, Sterling (10-0) needed just six plays to take the lead, as Nyrel Sullivan bounced an inside run to the outside and sprinted past the defense for a 22-yard score just 3:49 into the game.

The Sterling fans had barely stopped cheering when Turner Garcia brought them to their feet again. On St. Viator’s first play of its second drive, Garcia scooped up an errant pitch and cruised in from 8 yards out for a defensive TD and a 14-0 lead with just 3:54 gone.

“It was crazy. My only reaction was just to pick it up and score, and luckily I got in the end zone,” said Garcia, who also had two tackles for loss. “We knew they liked that play, so we’ve been working on it so much in practice that it was almost like an automatic reaction to come up, and I was just in the right spot.”

It was all Sterling after that. Sullivan capped a 13-play drive with a 2-yard TD run with 55 seconds left in the first quarter, then sprinted in from 48 yards out with 4:05 left before halftime for a 28-0 lead at the break.

The speedy tailback finished with 161 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries. Trey Morse added 105 yards passing, including a 12-yard TD pass to Nolan Sullivan in the third quarter.

“We knew we had to come out and play very well from the start, and do well in all three phases of the game,” Nyrel Sullivan said. “That’s what happened; we came out here and put up points on the board on offense and defense.”

Sterling put its stamp on the game defensively, allowing just 42 yards on 26 rushes. And while St. Viator quarterback Bryce Hellgeth threw for 160 yards, he did so on just 17-for-36 passing.

The Lions’ best chance to score was on a 31-yard field goal attempt in the final minute of the first half, but Jayden Villegas rushed around right end and laid out to block it.

The next closest St. Viator (5-5) got to the end zone was when Hellgeth was tackled at the 3-yard line after a 15-yard run on the last play of the game.

Football

Class 5A playoffs, first round

Sterling 48, St. Viator 0

Star of the game: Nyrel Sullivan, Sterling,

He Said It: “We really pride ourselves on defense, and we don’t like to give up anything on defense regardless of whether it’s the first, second or third string. We were really prepared today, and we stopped them and things went our way.” – Sterling cornerback Turner Garcia

Up next: Class 5A playoffs, second round, Sterling at Kaneland, 6 p.m. Saturday