High school football: ‘Ascending’ Warren dominates Andrew to advance to 8A quarterfinals

Warren has had an odd season. There were two major moments: a win at Maine South and a loss at home to Lake Zurich.

The rest of the regular season consisted of seven blowout wins, which isn’t the best preparation for a long playoff run. The Blue Devils survived and advanced against Stevenson in the first round last week.

There was no messing around on Saturday in Tinley Park. The Blue Devils dominated from start to finish, beating Andrew 41-7 in a Class 8A second-round game.

“This is the best we’ve been all season,” Warren running back Charley Thompson said. “We are probably playing at our high point now. We had a bit of a lull in the middle of the year and since then everyone has connected and we are at the same level.”

Thompson had a monster game with 21 carries for 215 yards and three touchdowns.

Senior Cassius Callahan opened the second half with a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown to put the Blue Devils ahead 27-0.

“In retrospect that Lake Zurich loss was probably the best thing that happened to us,” Warren coach Bryan McNulty said. “We’ve been ascending since that point.”

Warren quarterback Adam Behrens completed four passes for 60 yards, including a 33-yard touchdown pass to Taylen Curry.

Andrew’s score came on a one-yard touchdown run by Mike Barberi. The Thunderbolts (7-4) had one of their best seasons in recent history, winning a playoff game for the first time in 11 years.

Next up for Warren is a trip to Frankfort to face undefeated Lincoln-Way East in the quarterfinals.

“It’s going to be a heavyweight battle,” McNulty said. “We watched them play last night. They are good.

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