Shepard’s Noah Vaughn is no longer a vagabond player looking for the right place to call home.
The senior quarterback, at his third high school in three years, has found a home.
“I’m just a football player,” said Vaughn, who made previous stops at St. Rita and Bremen. “I’ve been playing since I was 6, so 11 years now. I have a natural ability in this game, and I love it.”
Vaughn looked like a natural Friday night, running for two touchdowns and throwing two TD passes for the Astros in a 57-0 South Suburban Red victory over host Reavis in Burbank.
Led by Vaughn, Shepard (6-2, 4-1) erupted for 50 points in the first half. The Astros doubled their win total from last season while becoming playoff eligible in the process.
Decimated by injuries, the Rams (4-4, 2-3) had no answer. Junior linebacker Jacob Gustafson recovered a fumble and senior running Malik Salameh added 42 yards rushing.
Senior wide receiver Cameren Tryon contributed a 49-yard TD run and caught TDs of 13 and 18 yards from Vaughn, who had four carries for 97 yards and completed 6 of 13 passes for 96 yards.
“It was third-and-7 and I wanted to keep the chains moving,” said Vaughn, who would produce a 65-yard TD run on the third play from scrimmage. “I saw a hole and just broke it off.
“With this system, I always have three options. I can keep it, I can hand it off and I can pass. It definitely fits my playing style.”
The 6-foot-1, 200-pound Vaughn combines prototypical size and athleticism with composure and a feel for the game.
“I’m a dual-threat quarterback,” he said. “I can run. I can pass. I can make the big throws or use my legs.”
Likewise, Shepard’s fine-tuned attack has become progressively more dangerous.
“Ever since he came in, we’ve been in go mode,” Tryon said of Vaughn. “It has been go time the whole time. Everybody talked about how we were 3-6 last year. It’s OK because we found the missing piece. He was the missing piece of the puzzle.”
Vaughn’s odyssey began at St. Rita, where he played quarterback on the lower levels during his first two years. As a junior last season, he played quarterback at Bremen.
“I definitely had to win the trust of the players,” Vaughn said of his Shepard teammates. “And it started day by day. With every practice, that’s where I began.”
Senior running back Anthony Loughran, who added a rushing TD, said Vaughn was humble and eager to fit in with Astros.
“He was a great quarterback from day one,” Loughran said. “He took control right away and set the tone on the offensive side off the ball.
“He kept getting better every week. He ran the ball. He threw the ball. The way he started off this game with his running was just electric.”
Shepard coach John Rone said he had no fear about bringing Vaughn aboard into his program.
“He’s a high-character kid,” Rone said. “When I found out he was coming over and got to know him, his character shined right away. It was pretty amazing how quickly he grabbed different concepts of what we were doing. He’s a very smart kid.
“With his character, intelligence and athleticism, it was a blessing for him to transfer to our school.”
As a result, Shepard won for the sixth time in seven games, averaged 37.7 points during a 6-1 stretch. And it starts behind center.
“I love the pressure of playing quarterback,” Vaughn said. “If we lose, it’s on me. And if we win, it’s on me. Obviously, being at three different programs, I’ve learned a lot.
“I am very thankful for my journey.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.
