CHESTERTON | It wasn't supposed to be this easy once the schedule reached the Duneland Athletic Conference.

Then again ...

Times No. 6 Chesterton (3-0, 1-0) scored the first nine times it had the ball and steamrolled to a 55-0 rout of Michigan City in Friday's DAC opener.

"Everybody's been doubting (our defense) a little bit, but they're stepping up," Trojan quarterback Jon Watson said. "When you shut out a team, you're doing something right."

While Watson ran for 138 yards and three touchdowns to lead another offensive onslaught (367 yards rushing, 86 passing), the defense has allowed just one score in three games. Josh Spanier had two sacks, and Peter Fouts came up with two of the Trojans' three interceptions, setting up a score with the first and weaving his way 83 yards for a touchdown with the second.

"After the first drive, we had the mindset, bend but don't break," Fouts said. "We've got a lot of seniors who've waited their turn and some young guys who are doing phenomenal. We're communicating really well. It's awesome to be part of a group that's so close-knit."

Watson did most of his damage early, rumbling for 117 yards in the first half.

"If it wasn't for what Nate (Majcher), Sam (Lindquist) and Justin (Jenks) did the last few weeks, I wouldn't have been able to do that," Watson said. "I've got to give it up to the line once again. Nobody can stop us when we're getting that kind of push."

Lindquist added TD runs of 29 and 52 yards in a 28-point third quarter.

"We continue to get a lot of people involved," Chesterton coach John Snyder said. "They were taking the fullback away; Jon was reading pull, and they couldn't get anybody to the quarterback. He's making good decisions, which an option quarterback has to make, and he's getting more and more comfortable in the passing game."

City (1-2, 0-1), which actually accumulated 22 first downs, went to Joel Hirsch at quarterback, moving Rodney Washington to receiver, but switched back in the second half.

"They threw a number of things at us that we didn't prepare for as much," Snyder said. "We made some big plays, and we were able to score and extend the lead, which forced them out of (the wishbone). One of the things about winning, it gives a team confidence."