Kennedy, Lindal lead the way for Warren
The first-ever meeting between host Warren and Highland Park on the football field turned out to be quite an eventful one Friday night in Gurnee.
The Blue Devils (2-0) looked like they were going to run away and hide from the Giants after a 79-yard run by Greg Kennedy on the first play from scrimmage and a 4-yard TD run by Tom Lindal gave Warren a 7-0 lead just 26 seconds into the contest.
Despite building a 21-0 lead with 8:14 left in the second quarter the Blue Devils had to settle for a 21-7 halftime lead before a late touchdown carried them to a 35-21 nonconference victory.
Lindal (132 yards rushing on 20 carries) added a 1-yard TD run for a 13-0 lead with 2:17 left in the first quarter before teammate Anthony Portanova's extra point made the score 14-0.
And while Kennedy (32 carries) rushed for 177 of his 235 rushing yards in the first half alone, it was Lindal's 23-yard TD run up the middle that staked Warren to its 21-0 advantage with his third TD of the first half.
Highland Park (0-2) recovered a fumble by Lindal to set up its second-quarter TD as the Giants took over at the Warren 30-yard-line. Two plays later, Jordan Reisner scored on a 20-yard run to make the score 21-7 with 3:50 left in the first half.
After Warren's Jon Duncan recovered a Highland Park fumble on the Giants 31, Kennedy scored on an 8-yard run four plays later to boost the Blue Devils lead back to 28-7 3:01 into the third quarter.
"My team counted on me to take the ball and get some yards and the line got me some yards," Kennedy said. "Highland Park has a good 4-3 defense, but everybody counted on each other and we came up with the win."
Getting that win would not prove to be so easy as Highland Park quarterback Walter Broder hit Cole Stern over the middle for an 81-yard TD play to cut the gap to 28-14 with 4:01 left in the third quarter.
Then after the Giants recovered another fumble by Lindal at their own 18, Stern came up with a leaping 18-yard TD catch to make the score 28-21 with 3:20 left in the third quarter.
After allowing Warren 320 yards of offense in the first half, the Giants played much tougher defense against Kennedy and Co. in the second half.
But clinging to the 28-21 lead, Warren sophomore quarterback Pat Kenney (10-for-19, 98 yards passing) guided the Blue Devils on a seven-play, 65-yard drive with an 8-yard TD run by Lindal giving Warren a 35-21 lead with only 4:04 to play.
"It's a four-quarter football game, Highland Park played outstanding, and they are a much improved football team from game one," said Warren coach Dave Mohapp. "They did a good job defensively in the second half, and it was a good character game for us when we had to put a drive together in the end."
Warren wide receiver Kendell Harris had seven receptions for 63 yards while Broder was 4-for-15 passing for 124 yards. The Giants were held to just 56 yards of rushing in the contest.