Coalers blow by Wheaton Academy

They could have gotten by with playing just two quarters during the first round of the Class 4A football contest between Coal City and Wheaton Academy because that's all the Coalers needed to shutout the visiting Warriors Friday night.

The Coalers recorded their sixth 6th shutout of the season, romping Wheaton Academy (5-5) 37-0 by scoring all of their points in the second and third quarters.

Coal City held the Warriors to just 144 yards (78 yards rushing and 66 yards passing) while using a balanced attack of rushing and passing to score in the middle frames.

Midway through the second quarter, Coal City's Cole Garcia cruised  in from eight yards out for the touchdown, followed by a two-point conversion run by Conner Skubic to make it 8-0.

Just before the half, quarterback Payton Hutchings found Gio Ferrara for a 25-yard touchdown  pass to make it 16-0 Coalers.

Daniel Jezik hit  pay dirt from 13 yards out 5:47 in the third to give the Coalers a 23-0 lead. He then got the ball back on defense, picking off the Warrior pass, to set up a Coaler pass from Hutchings to Ferrara for a 9 yards strike, 30-0 Coalers.

Austin Pullara scooped up a Warriors fumble, giving the ball back to Hutchings and that offense. Connor Skubic then broke through the Warrior defense from 20 yards out, making the final 37-0.

Coal City (9-1) will travel to Johnsburg near the Wisconsin state line on Saturday at 1 p.m. Johnsburg (7-3) defeated Chicago Agricultural Science in the first round 46-0.