Morgan Park vs. Simeon: Game Recap & Top Performers

Playoff implications and bragging rights were on the line as Morgan Park and Simeon traveled to Gately Stadium to faceoff in one of the Public League’s more prominent rivalries. Morgan Park’s defense made a huge statement and started a trend that would continue throughout the game. Rising prospect and standout cornerback <strong>Kiwaun Davis</strong> picked off Simeon’s Korey Flowers on the first play of Simeon’s opening drive and returned it for six to give the Mustangs an early 7-0 lead. After a less than ideal start to their first offensive drive, Simeon came back and tried to establish the run with running backs <strong>Andrew Crews</strong> and <strong>Trey Butler</strong>; but the swarm of Mustangs was having none of it and ended up holding Simeon scoreless on the first two of drives of the game. Morgan Park’s offense finally got a chance to take the field and was able to establish their rushing attack with some nice runs from quarterback<strong> Aaron Warren</strong> and ATH <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130591" first="Tysean" last="Griffin"]</strong>, who’s arguably the top player in Illinois’ class of ’24. The Mustangs’ first offensive possession ended in points when Warren punched it in from 3-yards out to extend the Mustangs’ lead to 14-0 near the end of the first quarter. Simeon was hopeful their third drive would be a charm, but the drive ended before it got started when Morgan Park’s linebacker <strong>Ahmad Grayer</strong> picked off Korey Flowers and put Morgan park in position to take a three-score lead. Morgan Park would take advantage of the turnover and take a commanding lead after Aaron Warren connected with <strong>Kendall Sprouts</strong> on a 6-yard touchdown reception. Simeon’s offense would finally muster a scoring drive midway through the second quarter. Junior running back [player_tooltip player_id="20844" first="Andre" last="Crews"] would find the end zone on a bruising 16-yard run after to cut Morgan Park’s lead to 21-8. Aaron Warren had arguably the most impressive run of the season on Morgan Park’s ensuing drive. He did his best Lamar Jackson impersonation by breaking a 74-yard run up the sideline and back across the field to extend the lead to 27-8 with 2:38 left in the second quarter. Simeon got the ball back and was able to drive into Morgan Park territory and threaten to score, but Donta Hayes picked off Simeon’s quarterback for the third time to send Morgan Park to the half with a 27-8 lead. Simeon came out in the second half looking like a different team that was ready to muster up a comeback. [player_tooltip player_id="20844" first="Andre" last="Crews"] provided a spark, found the end zone for the second time, and cut Morgan Park’s lead to 27-14. Morgan Park committed a crucial turnover on their next drive after a [player_tooltip player_id="130591" first="Tysean" last="Griffin"] fumble put Simeon in position to cut into the lead. But Simeon was unable to capitalize after Morgan Park safety<strong> [player_tooltip player_id="160515" first="Chris" last="Durr"] Jr.</strong> came up with a goal line interception to end the third quarter and give the Mustangs their fourth interception of the day. <strong>Korey Flowers</strong> would find the endzone on a 1-yard quarterback keeper to cut the lead to 27-21 to begin the fourth quarter. Both teams would go back and forth in a grind-it-out fight to the finish fourth quarter. After struggling on offense the entire game, Simeon had the ball last and had a chance to do the unthinkable. But the interception trend continued and <strong>Jonas Lee</strong> picked off Simeon’s quarterback for the fifth time in the game. That last interception sealed the deal and capped off an exciting public league rivalry where Morgan Park outlasted the Simeon Wolverines 27-21. Turnovers and penalties are what ultimately did Simeon in. Five interception and ten plus penalties is a recipe for disaster. If not for the mental mishaps, I believe Simeon would have been on the other end of this down-to-the-wire rivalry game. Next week, Simeon looks to get back on track when they face off against the undefeated Kenwood Broncos (7-0). Morgan Park (4-3) will have a quick turnaround and play on Thursday (10/14) against Hubbard (2-5). <hr /> <h3><em><strong>Standout Performances</strong></em></h3> <h4></h4> <h4><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong>Morgan Park</strong></em></span></h4> <h5><em><strong>Kiwaun Davis | DB | ‘22</strong></em></h5> Took an interception back to the house and proved he’s more than capable of being on an island with the opposing team’s best receiver. Davis is a long and athletic cornerback with the range and ball skills to thrive in any system. <h5><em><strong>Ahmad Grayer | LB | ‘25</strong></em></h5> It’s scary that this kid can play at such a high level with him only being a freshman. He’s a versatile defender who flashed at linebacker during this game. He was constantly disrupting plays in Simeon’s backfield and showcased he’s as sure of a tackler as they come. His athleticism, coverage skills, and instincts were also on display after coming up with an impressive interception during the second quarter. <h5><em><strong>Aaron Warren | QB | ‘22</strong></em></h5> Warren finished the game with over 100-yards rushing and three touchdowns (2 rush, 1 pass). He’s a natural-born playmaker who can run the ball with little to no effort. When given time, he can be just as effective in delivering the ball in the pocket or on the run. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it; Warren is by far one of the most talented prospects I’ve seen over the past few years in Illinois. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="130591" first="Tysean" last="Griffin"] | ATH | ‘24</strong></em></h5> Arguably the top-ranked player in Illinois’ 2024 class, Griffin can do just about anything at a high level on the field. He spent most of his time at running back, and for an athlete his size, he showed he wasn’t afraid to bang with the big boys. He moved the chains by effectively running the ball up the gut and evading defenders in tight spaces. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="141369" first="Devan" last="King"] | OL | ‘22</strong></em></h5> King might be one of the most underrated linemen in the state. He’s the anchor for Morgan Park’s o-line and is just as good at both run and pass blocking. His strong hands allow him to win most one-on-one battles. <h5><em><strong>Jonas Lee | ATH | ’22</strong></em></h5> If ball-hawking was a person, his name would Jonas Lee. Lee is a physical, versatile defender who seemed to always be in the right place at the right time. He racked up the tackles and had a game-sealing interception <h5><em><strong>Morgan Park Defense</strong></em></h5> I knew they had a special defense back in the Spring, and although they have some tough losses this season, their defense is still one of the best in the city. They generated six turnovers, held Simeon to less than 150 yards of total offense, and were the driving force behind Morgan Park winning this matchup. <h4><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Simeon</span></strong></em></h4> <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="20844" first="Andre" last="Crews"] | ATH | ‘23</strong></em></h5> Crews is the real deal on both sides of the ball. He scored two rushing touchdowns and showcased that he’s tough as nails and difficult to bring down as a runner. Has tremendous leg churn which allows him to fight for extra yardage. On defense, he can cover with the best with the best of them at cornerback. But what impressed me most was his ability to tackle from the defensive back position. His technique is on point, and rarely did he miss a tackle. Currently holds an offer from Kentucky and is one of the more talented prospects in Illinois’ ’23 class. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="20843" first="Malik" last="Elzy"] | WR | ‘23</strong></em></h5> Elzy has an offer from just about everywhere and is undoubtedly one of the top 10 prospects in Illinois’ ’23 class. Although he had a few catches during this game, it was on defense where he stood out the most. He spent time at both linebacker and defensive back, and with his size and speed, I honestly believe he can be just as good on defense as he is on offense. He had a ton of tackles, including multiple eye-popping big hits. <h5><em><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="155393" first="Latrell" last="Scott"] | LB | ‘22</strong></em></h5> Scott was one of the bright spots on Simeon’s defense. He has a tremendous nose for the ball and was nearly unlockable when he decided to blitz. Has a great understanding of the game, scrapes well down the line, and takes good angles to contain the outside and shed blocks <hr /> <h3><em><strong>Top Plays of the Game</strong></em></h3> https://twitter.com/i/status/1446906034237358084 https://twitter.com/i/status/1446911232238292992 https://twitter.com/i/status/1446917853949661185 https://twitter.com/i/status/1446929162808303616 https://twitter.com/i/status/1446933819559395330 https://twitter.com/i/status/1446944879335120899