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The SouthWest Suburban Blue schedule will require Homewood-Flossmoor to do its heavy lifting in the final few weeks.

But while conference opponents Lincoln-Way East, Sandburg and Bolingbrook await in the last three games, the Vikings aren’t taking any teams lightly.

“I like that we have the mentality that we treat every team the same,” defensive lineman Tyler Newkirk said. “We didn’t go into this game that this was any worse of a team than any we’ll play in the future. It’s just another team in our way from getting to state.”

Quarterback Bryce Gray threw four touchdown passes in the first half Friday night to help build a 42-0 cushion en route to a 60-0 homecoming win for H-F over winless Joliet Central.

H-F (4-0, 2-0) opened its conference season last week with a 67-6 victory over Stagg, which was one step above last-place Joliet Central in 2014.

“We know when we play games like this, we’ve got to make sure we execute, do everything perfectly so we’re ready for big games at the end,” Gray said. “The second half of the season gets a little bit tougher. We’ve definitely got some big games coming up.”

A tornado warning and lightning pushed back Friday’s starting time 90 minutes to 7:30 p.m. The stormy weather merely delayed H-F’s first-quarter domination.

It started with a 68-yard run by Deante Harley-Hampton with 8:29 left in the first quarter. After H-F recovered an onside kick, Gray connected with Kendric Pryor on a 48-yard scoring pass 20 seconds after the first touchdown.

Harley-Hampton scored on an 18-yard run for a 21-0 lead with 1:44 left in the half. Trevor Johnson picked off a pass on Joliet Central’s next possession that led to a 44-yard TD from Gray to Tyrice Richie with 55 seconds to play in the half.

Pryor’s second TD, a 64-yard reception, made it 35-0 midway through the second quarter. Gray’s fourth TD pass was a 36-yarder to Devonte Harley-Hampton to put H-F ahead 42-0.

Gray praised the offensive line of tackles John Michael Schmitz and Jamezz Kimbrough, guards Desmond Bland and Jack Doyle and center DeAngelo Wofford.

“I had a good day, but like always, without my linemen, running backs and receivers doing what they do, I wouldn’t have had any of those passes,” Gray said.

H-F held Joliet Central (0-4, 0-2) to four first downs.

“To get a shutout is a great feeling, probably one of the best feelings a defense can ever experience,” Newkirk said. “For us to come out here and get it on our homecoming despite the conditions, it felt like the wait was worthwhile.”

Newkirk had plenty of help from linemen Tyler Obee, Booker Donelson, DiJon Jones and Dylan Smith and linebackers Tyler Beck, Percy Walters and Montreal Blade.

“We wanted to get our starters in for a while and let the other guys take over,” H-F coach Craig Buzea said.