Fluke play gives Glenbard West jolt it needs
A 67-yard punt suddenly turned into 6 points. Only Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet wasn't sure how. All he knew was that senior Jack Marston had the ball - and a touchdown.
"I didn't see it, I was down on the other end," Hetlet said. "I guess we stripped the ball. But I honestly have no idea how it happened. I was just excited about the punt. And then I look up and everyone's cheering."
The sudden momentum shift paced the Hilltoppers to a 42-7 victory over York Saturday afternoon in West Suburban Silver action. York coach Bill Lech was just as confused about the play.
"We didn't see it because we had guys running onto the field because we thought the play was dead," Lech said. "To their credit, they didn't stop playing because there was no whistle. I don't know what the heck happened."
What did happen was a 10-yard fumble recovery touchdown from Marston that wiped out a strong York defensive stand just moments earlier. Nursing a 7-0 lead, Glenbard West was forced to punt from its own 23-yard line. The touchdown turned a close game into an eventual blowout.
"I said to our kids that high school football is a game of momentum," Lech said. "Bottom line is we need to field the ball clean and not give them an opportunity."
Glenbard West (7-0, 3-0) fumbled on the first play of its opening drive on a short pass. Despite great field position, York squandered an opportunity to score with an interception in the red zone. The Hilltoppers responded with a 10-play, 96-yard drive that vaulted them ahead 7-0. Following the fumble recovery for a touchdown, the Hilltoppers scored again before the end of the half, taking a 22-0 lead courtesy of an Adam Bruere 1-yard touchdown run. Bruere finished with 2 touchdowns on the day.
York (3-4, 1-2) was flustered by an offense that turned the ball over 7 times. The Dukes' lone score came late in the fourth quarter on a 12-yard scamper from quarterback Jim Nudera.
"The footing was hard, and we were in situations to throw," Lech said of the turnovers. "Our kids were knocked off their routes and it was a combination of things."