Marston, Glenbard West speed to victory

This wasn't a play where Jack Marston's eyes got all wide and everything happened in slow motion.

This was full-speed. And it stopped Downers Grove South in its tracks.

Glenbard West had reclaimed a 3-point lead on Adam Bruere's 10-yard run late in the first half. On the ensuing kickoff Marston picked up a fumbled return and ran 20 yards for another score, key to the Hilltoppers' 27-14 victory Saturday on their own Duchon Field.

"I was just in the right spot at the right time. It was lucky," said Marston, who later added a victory-capping interception.

"It just happened really fast. Everything happens really fast."

Too fast, perhaps?

"I saw (the return man's) knee down," said Downers South coach John Belskis. "But we didn't overcome it. Those things happen in games and you have to overcome things like that. Maybe later in the season we'll be able to do that."

Mainly what Downers South (0-2) failed to overcome was guys like Glenbard West defensive tackle Tommy Schutt, who plagued Illinois-bound quarterback Chandler Whitmer and helped hold the Mustangs to 33 yards rushing.

"They did well representing their name, the Hitters. They did hit," said Whitmer, 16 of 27 passing for 188 yards and a touchdown. "They came after me, and we did a good job of being physical back, but it wasn't enough."

Alternately, the offensive line of Glenbard West (2-0) paced 319 yards rushing led by Pierre Washington-Steel with 90, Steve Jones for 78 and Bruere with 76 before a leg injury ended his day after a half.

"We're a little undersized, but we don't think about that at all. Our quickness is really what helps us. We can get into them right away," left guard Mike Sandoz said of line mates Greg Kuhn, Tommy Nalon, Riley Blevins and the one true whopper, 275-pound right tackle Jordan Walsh.

Marston's touchdown gave Glenbard West a 17-7 halftime lead, but Whitmer came out firing - and shovel-passing - to get within 17-14. A Whitmer bullet hit Ryan Oruche just inside the goal line at 6:10 of the third quarter, and Mike Ficaro made the kick.

Glenbard West answered with time-consuming efficiency. Quarterback Tyler Warden ended a 13-play drive on a 1-yard sneak between Sandoz and center Nalon. Tim Hollowed's kick had the Hilltoppers up 24-14 at 11:14 of the fourth. Cody Olsen's interception led to Hollowed's second field goal of the game for the 27-14 final.

Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet would have preferred touchdowns to field goals, and admitted conservatism as Warden was 5 of 10 passing for 73 yards.

But a win's a win.

"At the end of the day we're 1-0 for this week, and that's what we set out to do every week," Hetlet said. "It wasn't pretty, but our style of football is physical."

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