L-W West cruises past Stagg

Getting out of the starting gates quickly, Lincoln-Way West had no difficulty getting win No. 6 on Friday.

The Warriors bolted to a 27-7 halftime lead and coasted to a 47-7 victory over Stagg in SouthWest Suburban Red play.

The win clinched a first-ever playoff bid for West.

West (6-2, 4-2) built a 21-0 cushion after one quarter. Senior running back Nick Bellamy scored the game's first touchdown on a 3-yard run with 8:54 remaining in the first quarter. That capped a 7-play, 87-yard march into the end zone as Bellamy contributed 29 yards rushing in the drive and caught a 27-yard pass from quarterback Justin Butterfield.

Butterfield, who completed 11-of-16 passes for 240 yards in the first half, connected with John Woodin for a 52-yard first-quarter TD pass. Butterfield and Bellamy then hooked up on a 46-yard scoring play to make it 21-0 later in the first quarter.

Butterfield completed his first seven passes. On the night, the senior was 13-of-21 passing for 263 yards. That effort helped the Warriors to 516 yards, including 253 rushing.

Bellamy finished the game rushing for 180 yards on 18 carries. He caught 2 passes for 73 yards. Bellamy added a pair of second-half scores, one a 79-ayrd run.

"This is exciting to get into the playoffs," Warriors coach Mark Vander Kooi said. "Bellamy has been our horse and we saddled him up again tonight and rode him one more time."

Bellamy, who rushed for 73 yards in the first half and caught passes for another 73 yards, tallied on a 4-yard run in the second quarter. That culminated a 14-play, 81-yard touchdown trek.

West finished amassed 316 yards in the first half.

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