If the first mission of Wheaton Academy’s defense was to shut down Guerin’s passing on Saturday, it became quite clear early that it was on the right track.
The Warriors did not allow a completion until late in the second quarter and used three first-quarter interceptions to take a quick lead en route to a 36-0 victory in River Grove.
“Any time you can win the turnover battle, you are going to put yourself in great shape to win a game,” Wheaton Academy coach Brad Thorton said. “What we were preaching to our guys all week was that we needed to come out and execute, as an offense and a defense.
“Overall, I am very pleased with our effort. That is something this defense is doing a great job of, rallying around one another. Right now they are excited about the fact that they have not let up a point this year.”
Wheaton Academy (3-0) pitched its third shutout of the season, even with backups on the field and Guerin (1-2) driving as deep as the 10-yard line in the game’s final minute.
Linebacker and running back Cam Meade had the third interception for the Warriors in the first quarter. He was rewarded by getting the call at the 8 and running in for a score moments later, giving Wheaton a 21-0 lead.
Meade also broke loose on a 65-yard scoring run on the second offensive play of the game. He finished with 132 yards on 12 carries and caught two passes.
“(Turnovers) are really about being in the right spot,” Meade said. “Once we shut down all their zones, they do not have anywhere to throw (the ball). A high school quarterback is going to panic, and he did.”
Wheaton defenders picked off Guerin quarterbacks six times on Saturday, including an interception by Nathan Meade on the last play of the game to preserve the shutout. Luis Ramos, Sam Martinez, Kordell Bowling and Steven Sellers also had interceptions for the Warriors.
“We go crazy when something good happens,” Meade said. “We are tight this year and that is really key to momentum. Once we get momentum, we are like a train.”
In addition to having outstanding statistics, Cam Meade also impressed Guerin coach Glen Kozlowski.
“They did a great job, (Meade) was the best player on the field, and he never comes off the field,” he said. “They had a lot of kids that did it that way, so you tip your hat to the kids on their team.”
