Trying to tackle Lake County All-Area captain Stewart proves fruitless for frustrated defenses

When Maine South squared off against Warren in a nonconference game in Week 2, Hawks coach David Inserra noted his team had one goal when it came to its defensive game plan.

Try to contain Warren standout junior running back Aaron Stewart.

“Our entire game plan was focused on limiting Aaron’s impact on their offense,” he said, emphasis on the limiting part. “We did a fantastic job holding him to just 170-plus yards. You cannot stop him. You can only hope to contain him. He is very tough, has a low center of gravity and is relentless.”

Maine South got off pretty light with Stewart rushing for 183 yards on 31 carries and 2 scores against a consistent top-notch high school football program.

Others weren’t as lucky.

Hersey: Stewart ran for 362 yards on 28 carries with 5 TDs.

Zion: 226 yards rushing on 17 caries and 4 TDs.

Mundelein: 247 yards on 34 carries and 3 TDs.

Libertyville: 46 carries (not a typo) for 258 yards and 4 TDs.

Palatine (playoffs): 35 carries for 212 yards and 3 TDs.

Barrington (playoffs): 44 carries for 373 yards and 5 TDs.

In all, the 5-foot-7, 175-pound Stewart, who helped the Blue Devils reach the Class 8A state quarterfinals, cut opposing defenses to shreds to the tune of 2,465 rushing yards on 343 carries with 34 touchdowns — all while sprinting, powering and battering his way to being named the captain of the 2024 Daily Herald Lake County All-Area football team.

“He is tough, runs hard and never stops coming at you,” Palatine coach Corey Olson said. “He breaks a ton of tackles. I have a ton of respect for the way he plays.”

Mundelein coach Johnny Cowhey had a front-row seat in Week 6 and watched two of Warren’s playoff games live this season. It wasn’t Stewart’s balance, speed, power, how low he plays or how physical a runner he is that caught Cowhey’s eye — it was his endurance. Stewart carried the ball 28 or more times in 7 of Warren’s 12 games and 30 or more times in 6 games. He was held to under 100 yards once when he rushed for 84 yards and a score against Lake Forest.

“Endurance is what sets him apart from most running backs,” Cowhey said. “Typically, the more carries a running back has, the more the running back wears down. There are 11 defenders, often more when teams are rotating players to keep guys fresh, and if one offensive player is receiving the bulk of the carries, the defense wears them down as the game progresses. Stewart is the rare athlete who wore down opposing defenses. He never seemed to be tired and often made his biggest plays and biggest runs in the second half. To watch a player who sometimes carried the ball 40 times a game, often against an 8- or 9-man box, never wear down and continue to make highlight plays when the game was on the line was what impressed me the most.”

Cowhey said he hasn’t seen a singular player wear down an entire defense since Justin Jackson (Glenbard North, former NFL player), “which is high praise and I don’t use lightly,” he said.

Warren coach Bryan McNulty said Stewart’s success stems from not being afraid to put in the extra elbow grease and redline the carries meter into the 30s and 40s if need be.

“What makes Aaron the player he is, outside of his preparation, is his ability to see no limits to his work capacity,” he said. “Aaron really doesn’t get tired and when he does he has the mental toughness to persevere. He is extremely competitive and never really gets phased by the moment.”

McNulty explained Stewart, who has rushed or 4,148 yards and 53 touchdowns in 2 varsity seasons and is a 2024 Illinois High School Football Coaches Association Class 8A all-state first-team pick, usually rises by 5 a.m. to lift weights. He then grinds it out in the classroom to the tune of a near 4.0 GPA, hits the football practice field and then the wrestling room until 9 p.m.

“He knows how to work,” McNulty said. “That has been the biggest reason for his durability and motor. I have never coached an athlete with the capacity to work like Aaron.”

McNulty alluded to Stewart’s hard work and preparation away from the field where the equally talented and decorated wrestler back squats nearly 600 pounds, bench presses 400 pounds and straight-bar deadlifts 555 pounds.

“He weighs 175 pounds,” he pointed out. “When coupled with his low center of gravity and outstanding balance, he is very difficult to tackle. He also does not give defenders a huge area to tackle.”

Stewart tried to downplay the significance of his weightlifting numbers, digits that are double and in some instances triple his body weight.

“I guess that helps, too,” he deadpanned. “Your body is one of the greatest resources you can have and it can be one of the biggest things that sets you apart. Your body being overstimulated like that prevents injuries and keeps you going. It makes you last longer than everybody else. I go from football straight to wrestling. I don’t get that tired. Being busy keeps you consistent. Doing that every day and feeling that pressure every day makes you better.”

Speaking of consistency, it’s a constant presence/goal for Stewart. “Every game, I want to maintain what I have been doing and that’s what has kept me going,” explained Stewart, who gave huge praise to his parents for their above-and-beyond support of him.

Warren offensive lineman Jordan Ellis said Stewart fits squarely into the elite category because of how motivated he is.

“Aaron’s goal is to make every next thing better than the last, whether it’s a performance in a game or how long he runs one play,” he said.

Ellis added that blocking for Stewart is a joy due to the bond the unit has with him.

“Aaron puts all his trust in us to do our assignment every plan and we do the same in that he is going to make the plays we create for him,” he said. “We have a strong bond, which makes us do things for each other and that makes that trust even stronger.”

Stewart, the defending Class 3A 175-pound state wrestling champion, was quick to point out his nearly 2,500 -yard tally this year would be a pipe dream without the Warren offensive line and fullback Nate Brock parting the seas ahead of him.

“Our offensive line is very important,” said Stewart, who noted he would like to do both sports at the next level if possible with several schools among the 25-30 Division I institutions that have reached out to him indicating they would permit him to do both.

“I love my guys. Without the O-line and Nate Brock, I can’t do what I do. I have to give thanks to them.”

To that point, Lake Zurich coach Ron Planz offered this grim analysis on Stewart if he is able to get straight downhill.

“He is almost impossible to tackle 1-on-1,” he said. “He plays with such a low center of gravity and has very strong legs. Those combined attributes make him very hard to tackle. You have to make him move laterally and get multiple defenders on him.”

While Warren doesn’t keep the specific stat, McNulty estimates at least 75% of Stewart’s yards come after contact.

“We have had many great running backs at Warren over the last 10 years, but none quite like Aaron,” he said. “We feel as though Aaron is the best running back in the state, even as a junior. He is an extremely high achiever who will have a ton of success in whatever endeavor he chooses.”