Metamora football coach Nick Delinski debuted against a coach he once babysat as a kid. The Redbirds made him a winner.
METAMORA — A long time ago, new Metamora football head coach Nick Delinski served as a babysitter for now Sterling head coach Jon Schlemmer.
The two were only five years apart in age, but on Friday they were both on their own, separated by a football field and career dreams as Delinski made his head coaching debut and saw his Redbirds deliver a 43-14 victory over Sterling at Malone Field.
"That's true, I did babysit Jon briefly," Delinski said, laughing. "It was no big deal. We were both baseball guys, I remember Jon was hitting off the tee.
"I never saw coaching football against each other happening, though."
Delinski, 47, became a Metamora assistant coach in 2005. He finally got his shot at the helm over the summer when head coach Jared Grebner retired.
During his years as an assistant, one of the players he coached was Schlemmer.
"When I was 8, my dad made him babysit me a couple times," Jon Schlemmer said of former Metamora baseball coach, hall of famer Bob Schlemmer. "I looked up to Nick for sure. He played for my dad, played baseball and football. Now he's a head football coach, and I know he's ready.
"I don't think he cares who is on the other sideline for this game. I just want to win. He wants to win. It's a big game for us, and I just wish he didn't have so many great players over there."
An explosive skill group
Indeed, those great players wearing Metamora black on Friday dominated big chunks of the game.
Running back Jaiduan Cranford, a 5-9, 195-pound powerhouse who will play next season at Northern Illinois, was bottled up in the first half on eight carries for 38 yards.
But he slashed through the line and turned two defenders inside-out in the secondary on the way to a 60-yard TD run in the second half, and finished with 129 yards on 16 carries.
Metamora quarterback Stephen Petri, a 5-foot-11, 210-pounder, ran for 49 yards and a touchdown and threw for 141 yards and two more scores.
Sterling could not control him.
"He's a catcher, actually, a strong, solid kid," Delinski said. "He's committed to play baseball at Carl Sandburg next year. He started for us at safety as a sophomore. But we always knew he'd be our QB."
Nor could the Golden Warriors do anything about receiver Kylan McMillen, a transfer from Macomb. He caught a pair of touchdown passes, including a 62-yarder on the game's opening drive.
"We have a collection of those guys," Delinski said. "I thought we were really physical at the tight end spot. And we can roll in a couple of big fullbacks. I thought we were good up front tonight, too. Our left tackle, right tackle and guard were first-time starters.
"McMillen, I'm kind of happy he made the move to come here. He has family in Metamora. He's just an electric player."
Metamora ran up a 17-play, 73-yard drive that took out 9:13 from the clock split over two quarters to build a 14-0 lead.
Sterling's answering possession ended with a three-and-out punt. The snap bounced in, the punter bobbled it and took off, then tried to kick on the run while he was swallowed up by a herd of Redbirds.
Two plays later Petri ran it in for 22-0. Then the ensuing kickoff turned into a free ball and Metamora recovered it at the Sterling 35. Petri hit McMillen for an 8-yard screen and touchdown and it was 30-0 with 5:28 left in the half.
Sterling played much better in the second half, but never recovered from its deficit.
Metamora put it in bold face, with an underscore and an exclamation point by forcing a turnover on downs after Sterling was first-and-goal at the 1.
The Redbirds then fed 220-pound Jayden Lambert into the line, mixed in Cranford, gave some carries to middle linebacker Vince Rasmussen and marched 95 yards on 16 plays over the final 8:47 until Petri lobbed a TD pass to heavyweight tight end Elijah Edwards.
Game ball, dunk, bonfire
Schlemmer is in his 14th year as head coach at Sterling. He reached a milestone in 2024 when he set an all-time program record with his 97th win.
"It's such a big game for us," Schlemmer said. "Our kids are excited to play a team as good as Metamora."
Delinski, meanwhile, celebrated win No. 1 as a head coach.
"I got the game ball in a really nice ceremony afterward," he said. "And then I got dunked. Now I'm trying to get dry and I'm going home. We're going to have a bonfire and watch game film outside.
"It's something I wanted for a long time. I'm blessed to have this opportunity. The kids played their tails off tonight, and everything that is Metamora football was showing."
The game didn't start until 8:15 p.m., making Delinski wait just a little bit longer for that first post-game handshake line. But eventually the babysitter and his long-ago charge met at midfield.
"Just a handshake and a hug," Delinski said. "We both knew we have a lot of season left."
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or [email protected]. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA football: Metamora coach debuts vs. coach he once babysit
Category: General Sports
