ROCKFORD — Boylan couldn’t run.

Backup quarterback Michael Morman made sure the Titans didn’t have to Saturday.

Morman completed 11-of-16 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns in Boylan’s 24-14 first-round Class 7A football playoff win over Libertyville.

“Michael played the best game of his career,” said Will Sahlstrom, who caught four passes for 95 yards, including TDs of 21 and 39 yards from Morman.

Morman, who threw for 189 yards in four previous starts in place of injured Zach Lane, passed the credit to his teammates.

SCOTT MORGAN | RRSTAR.COM

Harlem High School's Ryan Watters (98) brings down Boylan's Michael Morman (10) in the first quarter Friday, Oct. 24, 2008, during their game in Machesney Park.

MACHESNEY PARK — Harlem likes to start out east or west, then break its runs north.

Boylan keeps it simpler.

“I never try to go east and west. Always north,” Boylan fullback Matt McCrudden said.

Simpler proved better on a muddy field as Boylan steamrolled Harlem 40-14 Friday night in a battle of NIC-10 unbeatens to win its third consecutive conference title.

Harlem (8-1) had trouble with the slick field all night.

“It was highly impossible,” tight end Casey Beck said. “Every time I tried to make a cut, I’d slip.”

Rockford register star
ROCKFORD — With a matchup against once-beaten Hononegah on the horizon, the Boylan Titans did not overlook Auburn in Friday night’s NIC-10 matchup.

Boylan (7-0, 7-0) rushed for 363 yards — with two players going over 100 on the night — and despite four turnovers, mauled the Knights 42-0 in Titan Stadium. After a slow start, the Titans scored 28 points in the second quarter to put the game away.

BELVIDERE – If Belvidere thought it could expose some weaknesses in Boylan, which played without starting quarterback Zach Lane on Friday, the Titans needed just one quarter to change that.

After a close first half, the Titans scored five touchdowns in the third quarter enroute to a 49-9 NIC-10 football victory against the Bucs at Funderburg Stadium.

Will Sahlstrom started things for the Titans in the second half when he scored on a 48-yard run to make it 21-7.

ROCKFORD - Belvidere North wants to know what all the fuss about playing at Boylan is about.

In their first ever game at Titans Stadium, the Blue Thunder threatened to upset the conference powerhouse on its home turf Friday.

“I think other teams come in here thinking they’re already beat a lot of times,” North quarterback Corey Wennmacher said after his team’s 21-13 loss at Boylan. “But we didn’t.”