Nov. 28--Jonathan Ward ran right, past two defenders who had proper angles to tackle him.
The Bishop McNamara running back cut left, and outraced two more defenders who looked to have him lined up to take down.
"They were all in the right spot," a Tolono Unity coach in the press box said of his team's defensive players shortly after Ward's 56-yard touchdown on the game's first play from scrimmage. "There's nothing more we could have done."
So began one of the most dominant performances in the history of the state football finals. The Fightin' Irish won the Class 3A championship 50-7 against Unity on Friday at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb. The entire second half was played with a running clock after McNamara (13-1) ended the first half with a 42-0 lead and a 353 to minus-4 advantage in total yards.
"I knew I could outrun them," Davis said. "I got to the corner and just put it into second gear."
Ward rushed 17 times for 189 yards and two touchdowns to lead an attack that was simply too much for the Rockets (10-4). The Irish finished with 400 yards on 46 plays, compared with 96 on 42 for Unity. The scoring margin briefly was the third-most in state final history, trailing only two East St. Louis blowouts in the 1980s, until Phillips beat Belleville Althoff 51-7 for the 4A title three hours later.
"You can't tell how fast they are until you get out there against them," Unity lineman Zach Gadbury said. "We have the fastest guy in our area and they were catching him from behind."
McNamara quarterback Kobe Shutter hooked up with Chris Bell three times for 76 yards, including a 28-yard lob that made the score 21-0 late in the first quarter. The Irish scored three more times in the second quarter, including two of Ariez Andrew's three TD runs.
"We keep talking about trying to throw a perfect game," said McNamara coach Rich Zinanni, who won his fifth title in 41 years with the Irish. "We really played awesome tonight."
Jerrico Johnson rushed for 51 yards and a TD and added six tackles for McNamara. Chandler Cousins got Unity on the board with a 15-yard TD run with 6:11 to play.
wlarkin@tribpub.com
Player of the game: Jonathan Ward, McNamara, 17 carries, 189 yards, 2 TDs.
Key performers: McNamara -- Chris Bell, 3 receptions, 76 yards, TD; Ariez Andrew, 8 carries, 45 yards, 3 TDs. Unity -- Chandler Cousins, 15 carries, 78 yards, TD.
