Football GLENBARD WEST 28, HOMEWOOD-FLOSSMOOR 21
Turned over
H-F stunned by Glenbard West in second round of Class 8A playoffs
Homewood-Flossmoor wide receiver Tyrice Richie shook his head in disbelief.
“We didn't turn the ball over hardly at all this season,” said Richie, a Northern Illinois recruit. “I don't know how to explain it.”
H-F turned over the ball only three times all season entering Saturday's game against Glenbard West in the second round of the Class 8A playoffs. But the Viking matched that total, and it cost them dearly.
Fourth-seeded H-F's season came to a stunning end with a 28-21 loss to the 20th-seeded Hilltoppers.
The defending 7A state champion Hilltoppers (9-2) advance to play Edwardsville in the 8A quarterfinals.
“We had too many turnovers,” Richie said.
H-F (10-1) trailed 7-0 before producing an eight-play, 80-yard drive that resulted in a 6-yard touchdown run by quarterback Bryant Wright on the first play of the second quarter. Brendan Hurley added the first of three point-after kicks to force a 7-7 tie.
The big play during that scoring drive was a 46-yard run by Herbert Hughes (6 carries, 58 yards).
The Vikings were in position to take the lead at the end of the second quarter, driving to the Glenbard West 12.
But Jack Campanella stepped in front of a pass by Wright with 1:12 left before halftime. It was Bryant's first interception. Wright completed 17 of 22 passes for 187 yards and also rushed for 69 yards on 18 carries.
That turnover took some air out of the Vikings' balloon. Then the Hilltoppers scored on the opening kickoff of the second half as Dionte Moorehead raced 82 yards for the TD.
It gave the Hilltoppers a 14-7 lead just 14 seconds into the second half.
“There were two big plays that really changed the game,” H-F coach Craig Buzea said. “The turnover before the half and the kickoff to start the second half. We didn't plan on kicking the ball in the middle of the field.”
Try as they might, the Vikings never recovered from the momentum swing. Wright's 1-yard TD run with 10:35 left in the fourth quarter pulled the Vikings within 21-14.
Glenbard West, however, extended its lead on its ensuing possession. Ryan Diver scooted in from 6 yards to make it 28-14. A 5-foot-10, 175-pound junior running back, Diver finished with 33 carries for 171 yards.
“There wasn't anything they did that surprised us,” Richie said. “Coach Buzz preached to us right after the Evanston game about how good this team was. They're a great team.”
Wright hooked up with Dylan Duplessis on a 28-yard TD pass with 19.6 left in the game that trimmed the deficit to 28-21 and gave Vikings fans hope. The Hilltoppers, though, recovered H-F's onside kick.
It was the first time all season the Vikings were held below 27 points.
Justin Correll added an interception for H-F.
“This really hurts,” Richie said.
PREVIOUS ARTICLE
