Sports

Big Plays Push Glenbard South Past Bulldogs

Fort Zumwalt South is defeated by visiting Raiders in a Saturday afternoon game.

Glenbard South is perfect in the state of Missouri.

The Illinois-based Raiders traveled across the Mississippi River for the first time in school history on Saturday morning to take on the Bulldogs. Behind multiple big plays, the Raiders were able to make the trip to the Show Me State memorable, pulling off a 34-21 win. 

"I think our kids definitely came prepared," Glenbard head coach Jeremy Cordell said. "It's hard to overcome a five-hour bus ride and staying in a hotel in an unfamiliar place. Our kids kept the main thing the main thing and responded the right way."

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The Raiders (6-3) set the tone on the very first offensive play of the contest. Glenbard called a halfback option pass and put together a 80-yard touchdown.

Zach Bava faked the run and then hit the speedy Elven Walker near the Raider sideline. Bava showed off speed and moves while avoiding the Bulldogs dog and putting the first points of the game on the board. A failed extra point made the score 6-0 in favor of the Raiders. 

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The Bulldogs (5-4) responded and took the lead late in the first quarter. After along drive, quarterback Brett Simon hit a falling Casey Owens in the endozone for a 15-yard score. A good point after put Zumwalt South up 7-6.

The score would remain in favor of the Bulldogs until the second quarter. In 12 minutes, the Raiders racked up 20 points.

The scoring run began at the 11:02 mark of quarter No. 2. Zach Smith scored a 3-yard touchdown for the Raiders and, after a failed two-point conversion, Glenbard was up 12-7.

Zumwalt South answered on the ensuing possession. Marcus Smith caught a short pass and sprinted to the painted endzone for a 56-yard touchdown catch. The score put the Bulldogs up 14-12.

After that, the Raiders took over with quick strikes.

On the first play of the ensuing possession Wesley Sanders hauled in a 61-yard TD catch. The Raiders once again couldn't convert the extra points and had just an 18-14 lead.

With 8:30 left in the half, the Raiders got the ball back after Tyler Padera picked off a Simon pass. On the very next play Sanders scampered through and past the Bulldogs defense for a 34-yard touchdown run. Sanders punched in the two-point conversion and the Raiders led 26-14.

"I think our offensive line did a great job," Cordell said. "Our skill guys are pretty special, but our offensive line just sticks to the grind and they battle. Once we kind of catch fire, we can be dangerous offensively."

The scoring settled down in the second half. Both defenses came out of the break and refused to give up any more points.
Glenbard broke the scoreless draught early in the fourth. Justin Gjerazi scored on a 4-yard run and, after another two-point conversion, the Raiders held a 34-14 lead.

South cut the lead down with 4:55 left in the contest. After a long drive, Chass Abbington scored from one yard out and the score was now 34-21.

Zumwalt South attempted a late comeback, the drive stalled out with an interception by the Raiders with 17 seconds on the clock. Glenbard took a knee and headed back to Illinois with a 34-21 win and a perfect record in Missouri.

"I think their offensive line dominated us," Zumwalt South head coach Scott Fulton said. "They were big and strong and, if you just stood our guys side by side, you could tell that something was going to give. We haven't dominated physically all year long by any team, which has been great. But this team, physically, beat us on the line."

For the Bulldogs, the game didn't matter much in the big picture. This week should have been a bye week for the Bulldogs, who are in the middle of the Class 5, District 4 playoffs. Instead of sitting out a game, Fulton elected to play.

"I felt that if a kid doesn't get to play his whole season, he gets cheated," Fulton said. 

On Friday the Bulldogs will travel to Zumwalt North to take on the Jaguars. The Bulldogs need a win, and a Holt lose to Timberland, to have . Kickoff for the final regular season game is at 7 p.m. 

"We still have a chance and we still have a chance at a winning record—that would be only the sixth winning record in school history," Fulton said.


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