Vernon Hills 41, Round Lake 28

His dad can play a little football.

So he can.

Freshman wide receiver DaVaris Daniels was called up to Vernon Hills' varsity football team this week and made a smashing debut Thursday night at Round Lake.

Daniels returned the opening kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and added another score, as the Cougars won a 41-28 thriller over Round Lake.

Vernon Hills improved to 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the North Suburban Prairie Division.

Round Lake fell to 1-4 and 0-2, despite a monster night from running back Ray Bryant. Bryant rushed 44 times for 241 yards and 4 touchdowns. He left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury.

"(No.) 20 had a heck of a game," Vernon Hills coach Tony Monken said of Bryant.

So did Daniels, who's the son of former Bears defensive end Phillip Daniels. He finished with 4 receptions for 116 yards, including a 39-yard TD grab from quarterback P.J. Marsek.

"It was fun to get out there and play my first varsity game and just have fun," Daniels said.

"We played him in the sophomore game against Libertyville (last week) and he performed well," Monken said. "We felt that he was not challenged enough and we wanted to challenge him a bit more. If you had told me before the season that I would call up Daniels at this point of the season, I would have said no way."

The first time Daniels touched the ball as a varsity player, he was on his way to the end zone. He fielded the opening kickoff at the 8-yard line and immediately gave Vernon Hills the lead.

"I faked a reverse to (Tyler) Mooney and it was open," Daniels said. "I just ran."

Round Lake answered immediately, with Bryant scoring from 9 yards out to tie the game.

Vernon Hills reclaimed the lead when Daniels caught his touchdown pass from Marsek.

Mooney broke off a 72-yard TD run in the second quarter, and the Cougars led 20-7 at halftime.

Mooney added a 3-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Ernie Choi and Larry Guerrero both scored on 6-yard runs for the Cougars.

"We played a good game," Monken said. "We have to work on defense."