As Waukegan tries to win its 2nd straight season opener, North Chicago’s Terrell Turner makes a statement: ‘He’s a great player.’

Terrell Turner’s time has come.

After his first two varsity seasons, the North Chicago senior linebacker is ready to do more.

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If all goes as planned, the thump that Turner provides at the point of attack will complement the steady guidance he provides the multitude of talented sophomores joining him on defense.

“I’m the official leader of this defense, and I know the responsibility that comes with that,” he said. “And what these young guys can do excites me.”

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What Turner provides in the middle of the defense does the same for the Warhawks’ faithful.

North Chicago coach Wilton Hill Jr. expected Turner to take a major step forward as a senior, and the early returns emphatically support that conviction.

Turner’s presence came through loud and clear at virtually every key juncture in North Chicago’s season-opening 14-0 nonconference win against visiting Waukegan on Thursday night.

The Warhawks’ victory, which was called with 1:13 left due to benches-clearing fighting, is their first shutout since Week 3 of the 2017 season. North Chicago lost to the Bulldogs in the season opener a year ago.

“As long as they hadn’t scored yet, we had the confidence that they wouldn’t get any points as the game went on,” Turner said. “The mentality we came in with was to have a level of high energy throughout the whole game, and I think we succeeded.”

Waukegan quarterback Devaughn Brown (2) gives the ball to teammate Amariah Brown during a game at North Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)

Waukegan was effective in moving the ball between 20-yard lines. It started early, as running back Amariah Brown scampered 59 yards on the Bulldogs’ first play from scrimmage. But in a sign of what was to come, the Warhawks stiffened.

“Honestly, we work on stuff like that in practice,” Turner said of facing adversity. “We know there are times when things will happen against us. We just need to connect together and get a stop. We all calmed down, and we can stop them on the next play.”

That kind of approach is one of the aspects of Turner’s game that Hill most appreciates. Hill estimated between 15 and 20 sophomores dressed for the game, and making sure everyone is lined up correctly is where Turner’s responsibility starts.

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It frequently ends with an opposing ball carrier’s momentum stymied.

“We count on him to provide stability in the middle, and he was a force today,” Hill said. “He’s confident enough in his abilities to take over the defense, and with us being so young, having him balance us out is huge.”

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Turner made the tackle on several third- and fourth-down stops as the Bulldogs knocked on North Chicago’s door time and again.

North Chicago’s Terrell Turner (9) looks to the scoreboard after shutting down Waukegan’s offense during a game in North Chicago on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. (Mark Ukena / News-Sun)

The first five of Waukegan’s six possessions ended in North Chicago’s territory, including the fifth drive at the Warhawks’ 3-yard line. Turner was in the middle of a group tackle that stopped Brown’s momentum inches short of the first-down marker to end that drive.

North Chicago senior running back Ellis Usher, who caught an 11-yard touchdown pass from Lon McLendon with less than two minutes left, said the offense has developed an appreciation for Turner and the defense.

“They take the stress off us because we know they’ll do their part in stopping the opponent,” Usher said. “We know we don’t have to score every time we’ve got the ball.”

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Brown, who finished with 153 yards on 17 carries, was impressed too.

“He’s a great player,” Brown said of Turner. “After the long run early, they completely readjusted.”

Steve Reaven is a freelance reporter for the News-Sun.