MRH Sophomore Strikes Again as MRH Football Rolls

It would be tempting to say that Maplewood Richmond Heights football ran on autopilot Friday night, as they trampled Northwest Academy at home with head coach Brandon Gregory away for personal reasons.

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The Blue Devils clinched the top spot in their district after defeating the Hornets (2-7) 54-7, with assistant coach Sterling Finney in charge, stretching MRH's record to 7-2.

“Gregory has created this well-oiled machine,” Finney said. “Honestly it didn’t matter who was in the forefront. He’s created this, and it was just my job that I kept it going.”

Stand-out personal personal performances powered the machine, though.

Sophomore Karon Thomas continued his momentum from last week’s game, in which he had two inceptions and a fumble recovery. Thomas picked off a Northwest pass on the first possession of the game. Two plays and 34 seconds later, junior PJ Grady-Liska ran in the first MRH touchdown.

“Karon is a young star. He’s growing, he’s learning, he’s listening, which is great for him,” Finney said. “He’s  a young kid. He’s having fun. When you have fun great things happen.”

Thomas had more fun on the next Northwest possession, again picking off a pass. This one led to a junior Wes Williams touchdown run, capping a two-play, 37-second drive. Thomas finished the game with three interceptions, a 6-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 21-yard touchdown reception in the second quarter.

Including a 9-yard keeper by junior quarterback Kahlid Hagens, and a second touchdown run by Williams, it was 41-0 at the half.

found his footing in the game, taking the first handoff in the second half 55 yards for the seventh Blue Devils touchdown of the night.

“He got back on track and I was glad to see that,” Finney said. “He’s another guy that we need to perform well here down the stretch.”

Quarterback Kahlid Hagens was 11 for 16 passing. Finney kept him in the whole game.

“Here late in the year, he’ll probably be in the whole game,” he said. “We wanted to him to know what if feels like, no matter what the score is, to stay in there and tough it out.”

Thomas’ third and final interception, at the end of the third quarter, led to a 6-play, 44-yard drive, ending with senior Kashon Hagens (one of only three seniors on the team) scoring the final MRH touchdown.

MRH assistant coach Al Buckley said Northwest didn’t give up. “If it’s a runaway game, at least we prefer somebody who’s going to fight you all four quarters, and they did,” he said. “They’re tough kids.”

The Devils will play Lift for Life on Thursday night at Crystal City in MRH's final district game.

The game after that (Nov. 2) is a regional playoff game, and will be played at MRH against the loser of the Brentwood-Principia game. That's when it becomes win-or-go-home.