Pos: Former Warren athlete was ‘the entire package’

It had turned ugly at halftime. Clearly the fans of the No. 2 ranked team in the state of Illinois were angry. Who were these players from a town called Gurnee and how dare they come to Rockford and treat the home team like this? Rockford Boylan’s sterling defense had surrendered 13 points total in two playoff wins and now this Warren team had scored 24 points by halftime.

Former Warren baseball coach Ron Shelton was in the crowd that fall day in 1991.

“That was an ugly atmosphere,’’ Shelton said from his home in Florida. “And it got hostile.”

Shelton was more than a fan of this exciting team. His youngest son, Craig Shelton, was the starting quarterback for this high-powered Warren offense and he was throwing the football around at record numbers.

Craig lives in Plainfield. He and wife, Hillary Shelton, are the parents of four young children. Even though it’s been more than two decades since he tossed the football around the yard, he recalls those fun days at Warren Township High School.

Warren’s football team that fall of 1991 split its first two games of the season and then went on a nine-game winning streak that took the team to the third round of the playoffs. At the controls of the team was an undersized, yet terrific quarterback. Craig was the starting point guard on the basketball team. He was the starting shortstop and pitcher on a very strong baseball team. Yet, it was this surprising football squad that captured the community’s imagination and carried it well into the playoffs.

Warren athletic director Mark Pos was the team’s athletic trainer at the time. He, too, was along for this special ride.

“Craigger was just a fun player to watch,’’ Pos said.  “He had eyes in the back of his head and loved to pass to his teammates. He probably could have scored more but he seemed to really enjoy passing the ball.”

Warren’s memorable 10-2 football season ended that day in Rockford. The home team rallied to take a 35-32 win. A few Boylan defensive players interviewed that afternoon noted they had never seen a quarterback like Craig who came to town that day and put on a show.

“It’s funny,” Craig said. “I remember that we threw all the time but having looked back on it we were pretty balanced for most of the year. I think the Libertyville game we opened it up and showed what our offense was capable of. It was a totally different look for a Warren team and I am sure was not something most teams spent a great deal of time on during the week.

Our offense became a four wideout shotgun offense with no intention of running unless we had to.”

This was the same football team that lost to Antioch in week two, 13-12. The game plan changed and Craig and his magic right arm was asked to throw the ball to any receiver who was open. Warren began to blow teams away. For instance, in the first round of the playoffs in Gurnee, the Warren offense rang up 41 points in a 10-point win over visiting Rockford/Belvidere. Next up for Craig and Warren was a strong Deerfield club. Pos recalled that game vividly.

“The field was literally a sand box and Craig had hurt his ankle in our game against Belvidere on Wednesday night,’’ Pos said. “In retrospect he probably should have not played, but as the athletic trainer at that time I along with the two team doctors cleared him. On one leg, and terrible playing conditions, he led us to the state quarterfinals. He never complained and just played as hard as he possibly could. He led that team on one leg. I know the following week he broke the state completion record (at that time) in our heart-breaking loss to Boylan. For the record, that game and the girls basketball teams blowing an 18 point fourth quarter lead to Evanston in the super sectional in 1991 are my two most painful loses at Warren.”

Warren survived with their injured quarterback and earned a 19-13 win.

Craig might have been groomed to play baseball with his father being head coach. He could certainly run an offense while on the basketball court but this new sport to him, football, caught his imagination.

“Practice was more fun, and games were more fun,’’ Craig said. “It was like playing nerf football in the yard. You didn’t so much worry about where the defense was or what coverage they were in, the boys just ran to the open area. There would be times we would make up routes on our hands in the huddle. You can’t do that unless you have the people up front blocking and receivers who caught the ball. It was exciting to be part of something like that.”

This sport that garnered Shelton headlines wasn’t even on his radar when he approached high school.

“I had only played baseball and basketball in any organized program,’’ Craig said. “And Dad came to me and said what are you going to play in the fall? I hadn’t even thought about it. So he said, there is golf and football, pick one. I had never played golf and took one lesson, and came home and the suggestion was I should play football.’’

Don’t bother asking about Craig’s summer vacations. He was too busy.

“The summers were more jam packed with basketball camps in the morning,’’ Craig said. “There were football passing leagues in the afternoon, baseball games early evening, then a summer league basketball to end most nights.”

Young Craig even teamed up with baseball pitchers Joe Hird and Dave Farrow on three consecutive no-hitters in the spring. Yet, even that sparkling event didn’t steal the headlines from that marvelous football season.

“I thought baseball was his best sport,’’ Ron said. “But football caught everyone’s attention. That football team was really good. He had good receivers and good linemen. It was a unique bunch at the time. His class played all the sports. That football team was really exciting. Coach Reggie (Hughes) created an offense for the kids and they continued to get better and better.”

Pos recalled an athlete in Craig who could do it all.

“To this day I think Craig might be the greatest athlete to walk through our doors at Warren,’’ Pos said. “Athletically there was nothing Craigger could not do and it was always fun to watch him play other sports. Please do not get be wrong, we have had some very talented athletes before and after Craigger, but he was the entire package.”

Warren basketball star Mike Brandow recalled how Shelton was revered around town.

“Good Old Craigger,’’ Brandow said. “Man, growing up in Gurnee, he was an idol to a lot of kids. It was a great experience to be [mentored] by him when I was in school.”