by Roy Taylor, Sun Correspondent

Because of lightning flashing in the sky west of Carstens Field Friday night, Downers Grove North's opening playoff contest against visiting Steinmetz was ruled a complete game at halftime.

Although the teams played for just over 23 minutes, the Trojans' thunderous offense left little question regarding the final outcome even if play had resumed. Led by quarterback Garrett Edwards' running and passing, North defeated Steinmetz 41-0.

With 51 seconds remaining until halftime, the teams and spectators were ordered into the school building as a passing storm illuminated the sky. After a 50-minute delay, both teams decided to call the game as a victory for North.

"Calling the game was a mutual decision between both teams and the officials," North coach John Wander said. "It was going to be a running clock in the second half, Steinmetz will be playing in the Public League next week and we have another game next week. So we all thought it would be the right thing to do."

North dominated, scoring a touchdown on each of its six possessions. As a team, the Trojans gained 231 yards on the ground, averaging more than 9 yards per carry.

Edwards led North with 107 yards rushing and connected on one of the two passes he threw for a 44-yard score to tight end Joseph Fatigato.

Defensively, North held Steinmetz to 56 yards and less than 3 yards per rushing attempt. While the visiting Silver Streaks began to put several drives together, they were ultimately denied first downs in key situations. Trojans defensive linemen Cody Cielenski and Richard O'Rourke made several tackles for loss, and Danny Glover recorded a sack..

"I give credit to the Steinmetz offense because our decision to run the ball was to keep it out of the hands of their quarterback," Wander said. "He can do some great things with the ball if we let him have it too long."

Edwards didn't wait until his offensive unit was on the field for its first play to move the ball. The quarterback/kick returner took the opening kickoff at his 9-yard line and returned it 59 yards to the Steinmetz 32. On North's fourth play from scrimmage, running back Sean Conroy swept right for 16 yards and scored the first of six Trojans touchdowns.

On the fourth play of the next possession, Edwards found Fatigato wide open down the middle. The touchdown pass made it 14-0 North 7:25 remaining in the first quarter.

Steinmetz drove 19 yards on its next possession, but quarterback Justin Anderson was stuffed for a 3-yard loss on third-and-3. Edwards proceeded to return the following punt 72 yards for a touchdown, which was nullified by an illegal block against North.

Undeterred by the penalty, the Trojans drove 51 yards on seven plays, capping the drive with a 5-yard touchdown run by Justin Shelly. The first quarter ended with the Trojans leading 21-0.

The Silver Streaks opened the second period by driving to the North 35-yard line, but Glover's sack ended the visitors' threat on fourth-and-10. After four more North plays, Matthew Shelhamer burst off left tackle for a 33-yard touchdown run.

North drove 35 yards on its next possession, capped by a 7-yard touchdown run by Edwards. Three minutes later Conroy trotted in for a 6-yard score. A botched snap on the conversion attempt kept it at 41-0.

The game was suspended after Steinmetz returned the ensuing kickoff. On the play, North's Jeremy Redic was injured and remained on the field for 20 minutes to be examined by medical staff. He left the stadium in an ambulance after it was cleared of spectators during the storm.

"Jeremy had a stinger, which he's had before, and it was more precautionary that they took him in," Wander said.

North travels to Lane Tech for a second-round matchup at 7 p.m. Friday.

"They usually do pretty darn good in the Public League, and they're the perennial power," Wander said. "We run the ball, they throw the ball, so it will be a real interesting game down in the city next week."