Terrance Gurley’s two long TD runs help Morgan Park beat Simeon in the Battle of Vincennes

Gately Stadium seats 8,000 people. It’s a cavernous facility that can make large crowds feel small.

On Saturday afternoon, Morgan Park supporters had the visiting side nearly at capacity. There was a huge crowd in Simeon’s home stands and a sizable group of fans in the park behind the north end zone, cooking out and watching the game.

It was the perfect setting for the premier matchup of the Public League football season, and Morgan Park stole the show.

Terrance Gurley burst free for a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the game, and the Mustangs rolled to a 42-6 victory over Simeon in the Battle of Vincennes.

“This was a real blessing,” Gurley said. “Not everyone gets to play in front of a crowd like that. It was so much motivation.”

Gurley also scored on a 40-yard run late in the third quarter. He had 135 yards on nine carries.

“[Gurley] got all the reps this summer; he was the one,” Morgan Park coach Chris James said. “And he listened. He took all the coaching over the summer, and he grew up.”

Morgan Park lost to Marist, a Class 8A power, 29-16 in Week 1. The Mustangs only allowed two touchdowns the rest of the season, one to Lane and one to Simeon. Morgan Park is expected to pick up the No. 1 seed in the south region of the state playoffs.

“Every play, I heard the crowd and the energy,” Morgan Park cornerback Ahmad Grayer said. “It gave us life. The crowd was hyped, and it hyped us. They came out and showed so much support. I love them for that.”

Mustangs quarterback Marcus Thaxton threw two touchdown passes to Pierre Jackson and one to Nasir Rankin. He was 5-for-10 for 134 yards with one interception.

“We just wanted to come out and be aggressive and physical and play nasty,” Morgan Park linebacker Jacob Ware said. “We knew they would try to do little stuff to bug us, but we had to find ways to fight through that.”

Simeon (7-2, 6-1 Public Red) scored on a six-yard run by James Bell late in the third quarter. That made it 28-6, but the outcome was never in doubt.

“We didn’t show up today,” Simeon coach Sinque Turner said. “They were more physical. They played faster than us. They played inspired football. We came out way too flat to play against a high-powered Morgan Park team like that. I salute those guys.”

The Mustangs (8-1, 7-0) are the best program in the Public League, and Chicago Public Schools’ only hope for a deep run in the state playoffs.

“I’m proud of our fans, our parents, our alumni,” James said. “They are behind us and a huge reason we have the resources to be a good team.”

Simeon quarterback Kaleb Sims was 7-for-21 for 142 yards. This is Turner’s first year as the Wolverines’ head coach after successful stints at Westinghouse and Kenwood. Simeon is a state-playoff qualifier in Class 6A.

“This is the stage we have always been waiting for,” Turner said. “But our team didn’t show up with the crowd.”