Fenton bows out

Three first-half touchdowns by Brandon Peppers led Morgan Park to a 40-0 rout over Fenton at Chicago's Gately Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The first Mustangs touchdown came midway through the first quarter when Peppers blasted through the defense on a 5-yard touchdown carry. Peppers finished the game with 117 yards on 17 carries.

“All we were thinking about is going to state,” Peppers said.

Morgan Park (9-1) turned to 5-foot-9 Terrance Lucky Baker to successfully convert all five of its 2-point conversions. The Mustangs used him as a battering ram between the tackles.

On the next Morgan Park drive Fenton linebacker Roman Castellanos made two touchdown saving tackles, but on third down Peppers blasted through for his second score of the game.

Fenton (6-4) didn't have a first down until early in the second quarter.

“I thought we could have put up a better showing,” said Fenton coach Mark Kos. “(Morgan Park's) game plan was good and effective.”

Morgan Park senior Christopher Dalton blocked a Fenton punt to set the Mustangs up with a short field midway through the third. Less than two minutes later Peppers had his third touchdown of the game.

An interception by Fenton cornerback Alan Geneva was one of the only mistakes made by Morgan Park quarterback DaeShaun Hurley. Fenton failed to move the ball after the turnover and was forced to punt back to the Mustangs.

Morgan Park then marched 75 yards to paydirt and took a 32-point lead to halftime after freshmen Desmond Earls touchdown.

The Mustangs ran most of their offense out of the Wildcat formation in the second half.

Freshman running back Charles Bournes and Peppers took the direct snaps as the Mustangs drove for their final touchdown. Hurley capped the last scoring drive of the game with a 32-yard touchdown run.

“We just had to keep the game plan going,” Bournes said. “We wanted to run the clock and keep going.”

After the first play from scrimmage, Fenton's Eddie Havlovic was taken away in an ambulance after getting blindsided on a block just 19 seconds into the game. Kos confirmed Havlovic momentarily lost consciousness, but he regained all movement in his body before he was taken off the field.

“He's going to be fine,” Kos said. “Everything was cautionary at that point.”

The game was delayed for 30 minutes.

“Eddie's been our starting center for two years on varsity. No doubt (his injury) had an affect on our team,” Kos said.

Morgan Park has advanced to play Prairie Ridge next week after the Wolves knocked out Fenwick in 6A action Saturday.