MOLINE, Ill. — The mighty Moline Maroons defeated Sterling in a battle for the western big six championship on Friday night, earning their fourth conference crown in six seasons.
The Maroons never trailed the Golden Warriors, and were in command from start to finish.
Moline's game opening drive spanned 15 plays and 67 yards, consuming seven minutes of clock. Moline quarterback Grant Sibley scored on a one-yard run to put the Maroons up 7-0.
Sterling's opening drive resulted in a three-and-out that set up a short field for Moline. On the Maroons' second offensive drive, Sibley threw a beautiful ball that connected with Chase Matthews for a 59-yard touchdown pass, to put the Maroons up 14-0 late in the first quarter.
Sterling's second offensive drive found some success, including an 18-yard run from Golden Warriors' quarterback JP Schilling. Sterling grinded the ball down to the Moline 35-yard line, but Maroons' defensive end Hyson Bey-Buie sacked Schilling for a nine-yard loss; and Sterling was forced to punt.
Starting from their own 15-yard line, Moline moved the ball to Sterling's 39-yard line after a 25-yard run from Mason Woods. A fourth-down conversion attempt was halted by the Golden Warriors, forcing a turnover on downs.
Sterling's following offensive drive resulted in a touchdown. Schilling connected with Isaiah Mendoza twice, including a 37-yard touchdown pass to bring the game to within one score. The Golden Warriors were aided by two 15-yard personal foul penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct that negated a 3rd-and-13 pass incompletion.
Moline was decisively in control until Sterling's late first-half touchdown made the score 14-7 at halftime.
Sterling gained zero yards on their opening second half drive, then punted. The Maroons started from their own 42-yard line, and quickly raced down the field after Sibley found Jasper Ogburn for a 22-yard reception. Moline's star running back Riley Fuller scored from three yards out to put Moline up 21-7.
Sterling's next drive was imposing, converting two fourth-downs, including a 4th-and-1 from the Moline two-yard line. Aided by a 26-yard run from Antonio Tablante, Sterling's Kael Ryan scored from a yard out to make the score 21-14.
With 2:02 remaining in the third quarter, Moline's next offensive drive had a 72-yard Mason Woods touchdown run erased by a block in the back penalty. The penalty was inconsequential, after a 25-yard Sibley keeper set up Fuller for a 25-yard touchdown run, putting Moline up 27-14.
A 27-yard rush from Sterling's Kael Ryan set up a one-yard touchdown run for AJ Kested on Sterling's next possession. The game again became a one score game, 27-21.
The Golden Warriors refused to quit, but on all three occasions in which Sterling brought the game to within one score, Moline had an answer.
With just over eight minutes remaining in the game, Sibley found Aubre Threatt for a 35-yard reception, during which Threatt rolled over a Golden Warrior defender. Just about everybody at Browning Field, including Threatt, thought the play was dead. However, his knees never touched the ground, the referees never blew their whistles and Threatt continued running down the sideline.
A few minutes later, Fuller scored from three yards out, his third touchdown of the game.
That was all she wrote, as Moline forced a turnover on downs on Sterling's final drive.
Sterling moves to 6-2 on the season. They'll host United Township in next week's season finale. Assuming they win on Friday, they can earn home-field advantage for the first round of playoffs.
Head coach Mike Morrissey and the Maroons move to 7-1 on the season. Moline earns at least a share of the Western Big Six championship for the fourth time in six years, having previously been crowned in 2017, 2018 and 2021.
They'll travel to Geneseo next week. The Maple Leafs defeated Rock Island 36-22 on Friday, notching their fifth win, and playoff eligibility.
The Maroons can cement home-field advantage for playoffs by defeating Geneseo next Friday.
Watch more news, weather and sports on News 8's YouTube channel