Coines shines in debut, leads Maine South over Warren

Constantine Coines was money Thursday night.

The Maine South junior quarterback threw a 70-yard touchdown pass on the first possession and ran for 2 more TDs as the Hawks defeated host Warren 28-7 in Gurnee.

Each football squad entered the nonconference game with an 0-1 record.

Coines - in his first career varsity start, filling in for injured QB Jack DeFilippis ­- completed 13 of 21 passes for 226 yards and rushed 11 times for 110 yards, including scores of 25 and 50 yards.

His screen pass to junior running back Michael Dellumo resulted in a 70-yard tally on the third play of the game.

"Just a regular screen," Coines said. "The blocks by our receivers were amazing on that TD."

Maine South (1-1) led 14-0 with 7:17 left in the first quarter and appeared geared up to coast. But Warren (0-2) got on the board via a 5-yard TD burst by Blue Devils senior running back Donovan McNeal late in the second frame.

Neither club scored in the third quarter.

The visiting Hawks went up 20-7 when Dellumo rushed for a 2-yard TD in the first minute of the fourth. But he stood out as a wideout Thursday night, finishing with 5 receptions for 112 yards.

"I have to praise my entire offensive staff," said Maine South coach Dave Inserra, whose gridders lost 19-17 to Warren last fall. "They did such a great job, all four of them."

So did the Hawks' hard-hitting defense. Senior linebacker Michael Mizwicki dropped a ball carrier for a 1-yard loss on third down of Warren's first possession; junior linebacker Alex Cenich and senior defensive back Jack Van Roeyen each came down with an interception, with a tipped pass by junior defensive tackle Tyler Fortis preceding Cenich's pick: and senior outside linebacker Logan Tomlinson batted away a Nate Foster pass in the fourth quarter.

Foster finished with 76 yards passing and 123 yards rushing, while Warren sophomore running back Aaron Stewart added 70 yards on the ground.

McNeal, also a linebacker, recorded a sack, and Blue Devils junior DB picked off a second-half pass.

Maine South senior wide receiver Julian Turner snared 8 passes for 75 yards for the victors.

"Maine South is well-coached, confident and tough," Warren coach Bryan McNulty said on the eve of the game.