For the first two weeks of the season, Rashard Mendenhall was slowed by a strained right hamstring. Niles West coach Mark Egofske even said he was disappointed in his play.
No more.
The Illinois-bound running back carried 30 times for 326 yards and three touchdowns as Niles West (2-1) dominated the second half to hand Deerfield its first loss 42-26 Friday in Skokie.
Mendenhall ran from one sideline to the other on a 57-yard TD run with 3 minutes 49 seconds left in the first half to break a 13-13 tie. Deerfield’s Alex Loukas (15-for-34, four TDs) hit Ryan Wallace with a 20-yard scoring pass with 32.2 seconds left in the first half to give Deerfield (2-1) a 20-19 halftime lead.
But a minute into the third quarter, Mendenhall put Niles West ahead to stay with a 44-yard TD dash. He also scored on a 2-yard run in the fourth.
Niles tried only two passes all night and completed neither. Besides Mendenhall, sophomore fullback Mike Galambos gained 97 yards on 14 carries and George Howe ran for 69 as the Wolves had 494 rushing yards and 28 first downs.
Deerfield’s Martin Ceisel caught nine passes for 145 yards and two TDs.
