Grant frustrates Glenbrook North in Week 2 loss
Tyler Zdon's touchdown run with 1:15 left in the fourth quarter dealt Glenbrook North a 21-14 loss against nonconference foe Grant.
The sophomore running back ran 33 times for 168 yards Sept. 1 in Northbrook, and plunged between left guard Austin Smith and center Jack Hembrey for the winning score.
"We're on the 2-yard line, I just knew I had to put it in," Zdon said. "I just knew where to go. I just thought it in my head. A hole opened up and I just went right through it."
Glenbrook North still finagled two more possessions, the last after stuffing Grant's fourth-and-1 conversion attempt at the Bulldogs' own 24-yard line.
Spartans quarterback Jack Philbin gave it a go before Grant's Vincent Hurst finally sealed the win on an interception at his own 2-yard line with 8 seconds left.
"One of the most dynamic payers I've ever seen and he's a kid who just never disappoints," Glenbrook North coach Matt Purdy said of Philbin, who ran for 98 yards with a 12-yard touchdown run. At safety Philbin led the Spartans in tackles a second straight week, with 13.
"His motor never stops and he's the ultimate competitor. Having the ball in his hands always gives you a chance to be successful," Purdy said.
The game had its quirks. Famed vocalist Wayne Messmer sang the national anthem but the house microphone cut out midway through. In an inspired effort, Spartans fans continued singing, to Messmer's encouragement.
At 9:05 p.m. with 4:33 remaining in the fourth quarter and the game tied 14-14, the stadium lights abruptly went out. It only postponed Grant's winning scoring drive.
Grant (1-1) held a slim 7-0 halftime lead despite being in Spartans territory for nearly all of the first 24 minutes. Both teams had fourth-and-short opportunities stopped, Grant on Glenbrook North's 2-yard line when Spartans linebacker Graham Gottschild followed MacLean Mulvihill's tackle for loss with one of his own.
Bulldogs quarterback Matthew Gipson's 27-yard run and Ayden Sheppard's kick gave Grant the lead at 2:36 of the second quarter.
The Bulldogs, who had missed on a 42-yard field goal try in the first quarter, scored on an apparent safety off a muffed punt late in the first half, but it was nullified by a penalty.
After a first-half taffy pull, the second half started like a track meet. Grant's Anthony Koza handled the third-quarter kickoff at his 4-yard line and cruised the left sideline with a Bulldogs escort for a 96-yard touchdown return that earned a 14-0 lead.
Glenbrook North (1-1) tied it up by scoring on consecutive possessions, of 10 and 13 plays.
Philbin and running back Trey Gottschild did the initial work, Philbin cutting inside left tackle Mathew Gasior on a 12-yard touchdown run to trim Grant's lead to 14-7 at 5:05 of the third quarter.
"We had a hard time finding an answer for (Philbin)," said Grant coach Tim Norwood. "I think he was probably the best athlete on the field and luckily we did enough to contain him."
The scrambling senior then got help from junior back Ryan Lee, who broke between right guard Landon Lauter and tackle Cray Paich on a 1-yard touchdown run. Lee added the extra-point kick to tie 14-14 at 7:36 of the fourth quarter.
Grant answered with its 12-play, 80-yard scoring drive, bisected by the lights incident and capped by Zdon's 2-yard blast. The sophomore back broke runs of 30 and 19 yards on second-and-long situations during the drive.
Coming off what Purdy had called a complete, 48-minute effort in the season-opening 29-0 win at Lane Tech, Friday's play frustrated the Spartans.
A game where Purdy cited both players and coaches for "sloppy play," the Spartans committed 8 penalties and converted 1 of 8 third downs.
"These close games are the ones we need to win if we want to make the playoffs this year," Lauter said.
This week, Glenbrook North hosts Barrington (2-0) at 7 p.m. Sept. 8.