McHenry plays 'sloppy,' pulls out victory

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ELGIN – McHenry won its season opener Friday night, but myriad miscues and plenty of penalties ruled out any postgame celebration.

“We’re not too proud of the way we came out tonight,” Warriors quarterback Ryan Michel said after McHenry trudged to an ugly, 18-7 victory against Larkin.

“We were pretty flat,” the senior continued. “We weren’t sharp – breakdowns, penalties ... it seemed like it just wouldn’t stop, either.”

Of his team’s performance, Warriors coach Tim Beagle said “So sloppy.”

“I’m pretty disappointed right now,” Beagle said. “First-game jitters, I hope.”

McHenry turned the ball over twice – five other drives ended in Larkin territory.

It seemed the Warriors were whistled for at least one infraction every drive.

“There’s a lot to work on,” Beagle said.

Defense paced McHenry’s victory. The Warriors held the Royals to 135 yards of offense and forced a pair of safeties.

McHenry’s defense did the job – if not for the sputtering offense, the Warriors might have matched last year’s 37-point win.

“[The defense] saved us,” Michel said.

McHenry allowed 21 yards in the second quarter and 22 in the third as it erased an early deficit. Nico DeLorenzo’s 48-yard catch-and-run knotted the game, then Jimmy Machometa’s 9-yard touchdown run early in the third – set up by a fumble – gave the Warriors their first lead. Two safeties accounted for the final margin.

“Our defense is solid,” said junior Trevor Marunde, who intercepted a pair of Jeff Sarubaugh passes. “After [Larkin’s] first drive, we got the butterflies out, stepped up and came together. Mistakes will happen – we can only build from here.”

Trying to pad their lead late, the Warriors managed only 30 yards of offense.

Twice, drives stalled deep in Larkin territory.

It can be said both possessions were better than McHenry’s second drive of the third quarter, however – despite numerous chances, said drive stalled inside Larkin’s 2-yard line.

“I expect our team to learn from this game,” Beagle said.

Marunde said he believed his team will do just that.

“We’ll get everything straightened out,” he said.