In a game filled with offensive fireworks, RB Adrian Cooper put on the biggest performance with three touchdown runs, as Moline beat Sterling 45-31 on Friday night at Browning Field, putting the Maroons in position for a possible home playoff game next weekend. QB Eli Taylor was also a big part of the show, completing two passes of more than 50 yards each.
Moline (7-2, 5-1 in Western Big 6 play) finishes second in the WB6 race behind only unbeaten Quincy, and will wait until the official pairings are announced Saturday night to learn who and where they will play in the first round of the IHSA playoffs. Sterling (5-4, 4-2) is also playoff-bound and finishes third in the conference.
Cooper opened the scoring with a 1-yard run midway through the 1st quarter. With the score 7-3, QB Eli Taylor aired it out 56 yards to Nolan Ducey to make it 14-3 just before the quarter ended. With Moline up 14-10, Taylor connected with Elijah Warren on a 52-yard pass play to set up Cooper’s second TD from 6 yards out with 3:50 left in the half to put the Maroons up 21-10, but the 2nd quarter scoring explosion was far from over. On the ensuing first down play, Sterling got a 65-yard pass from Drew Nettleton to Kaedon Phillips to make it 21-17. But Taylor ran it in from 8 yards out with just 0:19 until half to go to the break up 28-17.
Ducey connected on a 24-yard field goal and Warren ran 19 yards for a score to establish a commanding 38-17 lead in the 3rd quarter, and Cooper added a 78-yard dash to the end zone in the 4th. Cooper finished with 139 yards, Warren with 79, each on 13 carries. Taylor compiled 145 yards passing.