Crete-Monee hit the reset button after a disappointing start to the season and the results were all that the Warriors could hope for.
A week after losing by 10 to Yorkville on the road, the Warriors opened a 41-point halftime lead and cruised past Hillcrest 44-0 in their home opener on Aug. 28.
“We challenged our team,” Crete coach John Konecki said. “We didn’t play great against Yorkville. Put some people in different spots, (but) most important, we didn’t turn the ball over.”
The Warriors were dominant up front, opening running lanes for Dominic Jackson and Amarre Carey and protecting quarterback August LaBranche.
“I was really pleased with how well the offensive line played,” Konecki said.
That’s a veteran group, all of whom are seniors: Talley Jones, X’Zallen Lloyd, Noble Griffin, Cayden Williams, Sean Batchman and Jai-Khai Lovelace.
Jackson, a senior fullback/defensive lineman, had eight carries for 48 yards and three touchdowns, including a 19-yarder. Carey finished with six runs for 68 yards and a TD.
LaBranche had a productive night in his starting debut, finishing 8-of-11 passing for 123 yards and a TD. Monte Calvin-Bowsky caught six passes for 107 yards and a 59-yard touchdown and also had a 40-yard kickoff return. JonCarlo Corona kicked a 37-yard field goal.
The Warriors open Southland play on Sept. 4 at Thornton. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
Manteno 26, Plano 16: The Panthers (2-0) opened a 20-0 halftime lead and held on for the road win.
Logan Bufford completed 10 of 15 passes for 191 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. Jack Gotkowski had scoring catches of 44 and 41 yards, finishing with three catches for 102 yards. Briggs Cann added a 12-yard TD reception.
Nick Honkisz led the Manteno ground game with 18 carries for 143 yards, including a 9-yard TD.
Defensive leaders for the Panthers included Honkisz with 10 tackles, a sack and four tackles for loss; David Asher with seven tackles and two interceptions; Carter Stell with 13 tackles and Franklin Jordan with 12 tackles.
Manteno next plays at 7 p.m. Sept. 4 at Herscher to open Illinois Central Eight action.
Peotone 21, Marengo 3: Alex Chenoweth threw a 34-yard TD pass to Nick Cronin and ran 1 yard for another score as the Blue Devils (2-0) won on the road.
Eli Chenoweth had 14 carries for 123 yards, Cronin ran 18 times for 92 yards and Declan McMaster rushed 16 times for 82 yards and a 3-yard TD.
McMaster, Cronin and Eli Chenoweth all had eight tackles, with Eli Chenoweth adding two sacks and a tackle for loss.
Peotone hosts defending Class 2A state champ Wilmington at 7 p.m. Friday in its Illinois Central Eight opener.