Colin Ward has been playing at such a high level that his contributions for the Deerfield football team simply do not fit into the box score.
The senior defensive end made a highlight-reel play out of a fairly routine quarterback hurry during the Warriors’ 31-24 double-overtime road loss to Rolling Meadows on Friday night.
During that first-quarter play, Ward singlehandedly sent two Mustang offensive linemen stumbling backward into quarterback Carson Schiller as he unloaded a pass attempt. The play showed just how dominant Ward has been for Deerfield (2-1) so far this season.
“It’s fun pushing people around,” Ward said with a sheepish grin. “Once I start getting linemen back on skates, I usually try to make a move to get off of them and get to the quarterback.”
The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Ward has made a habit of doing just that.
He notched two sacks and a forced fumble in Deerfield’s season-opening win against Lakes and had five tackles for loss the following week against Grayslake North.
Ward made his presence known early and often Friday night, with two other first-quarter quarterback hurries, while also forcing a fumble and stopping a third-and-goal run attempt from the Deerfield 2-yard line.
“When you look at film, he’s by far the best football player on the field,” Deerfield coach Steve Winiecki said. “He wreaks havoc all over the field and wants to get better. He’s fun to watch.”
Besides his defensive prowess, Ward has also become an offensive weapon, most notably via short-yardage wildcat packages. He ran for a touchdown in each of Deerfield’s first two games and added a key 2-point conversion in the tight 27-24 win against Lakes on Aug. 30.
Ward was a running back on the Deerfield freshman team, so playing offense is not a new experience.
“I love playing power football, and it’s great doing it on a bigger stage,” Ward said. “Some of those tough yards can be the difference between winning and losing.”
Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press
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