By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
In Friday night’s, 2018 Bolingbrook High School Homecoming game with Sandburg, Raider senior Antonio King, had an early “king-sized” impact, on the game.
King, took the opening kickoff and ran a fake reverse, with Northwestern-bound Cameron Mitchell. at the five yard line. About 12 seconds and 95-yards later, King, was in the end zone and after Raider place-kicker, Gerardo Paz’s point-after touchdown, the Raiders led 7-0.
Paz’s ensuing kickoff to Sandburg (2-1, 0-1), was recovered by the Raiders, at the Eagle 42. 90 seconds later, Raider junior quarterback, Devyn Suggs (3-for-9-34 yards TD, INT), found King in the left corner of the end zone, for a 26-yard scoring-strike. Paz’s second PAT, made it 14-0, with just a little under two minutes played in the game. Game over.
The Raiders, would go on and thrill the huge Raider Homecoming crowd, with a 54-0, Southwest Suburban Conference opening-game, victory.
“Cameron (Mitchell) and I worked on the fake reverse, in practice,” King said. “It worked to perfection and it felt great to get us started with the 95-yard kickoff return. On the touchdown pass, from Devyn (Suggs) in the corner of the end zone, I told our coaches that I would beat my man and be open. The play worked to perfection. We all really came to play tonight!”
After the Raiders, Antonio, King-Sized start to the game, it was time to turn to the area’s leading rusher and scorer, senior tailback Quentin Pringle. Pringle, who would rush for 131 yards on only six carries, set up the fourth touchdown of the season for Raider fullback Anthony Williams Jr, with a 55-yard run. Williams’ score, put the Raiders up 20-0 at the end of one quarter.
Pringle, would score his seventh and eighth touchdowns of the season, in the second quarter, to give the Raiders a 32-0 lead at halftime. Touchdown No. 7 of the season was a 66-yard-sprint for six and touchdown No. 8, was of the 2-yard variety.
“We were really fired up to play tonight,” Pringle said. “Antonio (King), in the first two minutes of the game, got us started with his great kickoff return and touchdown catch in the end zone. My offensive line opened up the holes for me to run through. Great win and we are all looking forward to playing H-F, here next week.”
The Raider “D”, which pitched its second shutout of the season, got the party started , at the start of the third quarter. Raider senior defensive back Jordan Martin’s interception, set up the Raider “O” at the Eagle 27. The pick was the third interception in three games, for Martin.
“I started off a little slow tonight,” Martin said. “We all played so well and I really got it going, too. Three picks in three games. That’s pretty cool,”
On the first play after Martin’s pick, Raider senior running back, Marc Wallace (2 carries; 34 yards, TD) went 27 yards, for a touchdown. When Raider junior tight end, Trevor Borland, hauled in a two-point conversion pass from Suggs, the Raiders led 40-0. Start the running clock!
The Raider starting defense, led by senior defensive tackle, Quentin Davis and Mitchell, held Sandburg to 18 total yards of offense, through three quarters. The Eagles were held to minus 14 yards rushing, through three quarters.
“Everyone played so well tonight,” Davis said. “I owe my big sack to the “Glory of God’. For without him I am nothing.”
Suggs was replaced by junior quarterback, Jake Lynch. Lynch would rush for 32 yards and score on a seven-yard run. Junior Derrick Johnson, would electrify the crowd with a 54-yard touchdown run and finish with 79-yards on the ground, for “The Brook”
The Raider reserves on defense put on a show in the fourth quarter, preserving the shutout. The Raider reserves were hitting the Eagles, harder than the vaunted Raider “D’. Sandburg was held to -3 yards for the game and just 58 yards passing.
“Well we are 3-0. That’s better than 0-3, 1-2 and 2-1,” Bolingbrook head football coach John Ivlow said, “Antoinio King, was electric for us in the first two minutes of the game. Quentin Pringle, only needs a sliver of a hole and then he is gone. The starting defense was magnificent. I am also so proud of our defensives reserves, for playing so hard and preserving our shutout.”
On Friday, September 14, the Vikings of Homewood-Flossmoor (3-0, 1-0) will invade ‘The Brook (3-0, 1-0), for a huge, early-season SWSC-showdown at 7. H-F pounded Stagg 46-0, in their SWSC-opener on Friday. A huge crowd is expected, so get here early. The Bugle will be here and so should you!
“Well we haven’t played H-F, here, in a long time,” Ivlow added. “We have a little party planned for next Friday night! We are really looking forward to playing H-F, It should be a great game.”
“We are ready for them, right now (H-F)!,” Martin added.