North Chicago rallies to beat Waukegan

One win does not make football season.

But a football team can make a statement with one win, and that’s exactly what North Chicago did with its come-from-behind 30-26 victory over host Waukegan on Saturday.

The message it sent to its excitable following was something like this: Basketball season doesn’t start until mid-November.

The town has fallen head-over-heels in love with its school’s basketball program.

But now, it also has a football team that, at the very least, it should “like” on the Facebook meter.

After trailing 26-12 late in the second quarter, the Warhawks, led by quarterback JaVairius Amos-Mays (11-for-24, 202 yards, two touchdowns; seven carries for 27 yards, one rushing TD), scored 28 unanswered points.

“A lot of people have said we won’t be very good defensively, but our defense was the best part of our game today (allowing just 76 total yards in the second half). I was confident that we had a better defense than some people were saying,” North Chicago coach Glen Kozlowski said.

Mays threw a 43-yard TD pass to Jarrod Coleman on the first possession of the third quarter to make it a 26-24 game and Manny Mickens 45-yard punt return for a touchdown sealed the victory for the Warhawks.

“We have some talent in the program. We’re a young team. I’m hoping that these guys take it as a lesson learned,’ said Waukegan coach Nick Browder. “We have the potential, but we have to work hard at practice every day. We can’t work hard some days and take other days off. We’re doing too many things that we’re not in a position to do, and here’s what the result is.”

Arnold Shead had seven carries, 49 yards rushing, and four catches for 80 yards and one score for North Chicago.