By Drake Skleba
For the Bugle
In 2017, at Duchon Field, on the campus of Glenbard West High School in Glen Ellyn, the Maine South Hawks humiliated the host Hilltoppers 62-34 to open the 2017 campaigns for both schools.
In 2018, the Hawks once again buried the Hilltoppers 35-14 in Park Ridge, in both school’s season opener.
On Saturday, once again on the banks of Lake Ellyn, Glenbard West (1-0) avenged their two previous season-opening defeats to the Hawks, 45-28.
Glenbard West, ran around through and past the Hawks’ defense and rushed for 440 yards.
Junior tailback Jaylin Moore carried the ball 31 times for 261 yards and scored three rushing touchdowns.
Moore also hauled in a 28-yard scoring strike, from Hilltopper quarterback Braden Spiech (2-for 5, 37 yards, TD, INT). Hilltopper senior tailback, Joey Richmond, rushed for 116 yards on just nine carries, including a 64-yard scoring jaunt.
Rushing for 221 yards in the first quarter, the Hilltoppers jumped out to a 17-0 on Richmonds’ touchdown run, at the end of the first quarter.
Led by junior quarterback, Luke Leongas, the Hawks exploded for 21 points, in just seven minutes of the second quarter. Leongas, completed 18 of his 25 tosses for 215 yards and a touchdown.
Senior wide receiver Ryan Kilburg (4 catches, 45 yards, 2TD) scored all three Hawk touchdowns. Kilburg, scored on a two-yard run with 10:39 left in the half.
Kilburg, scored again on a six-yard scoring strike from Leongas, with 7:41 left in the first half.
With 5:57 left in the half, senior free safety, Danny Locascio picked off a Speich pass setting up a 14-yard halfback-option touchdown pass from senior Danny Lazic (1-for-1, 14 yards TD; 4 catches, 35 yards) to Kilburg.
“No matter how far we fall behind we are confident that we can come back,” Kilburg said. “Luke is our QB and when he went down it hurt our morale. Personally, I had a good game today but I always want to get more for my team. “It’s my senior year. It really hurt me to have to come out with cramps, in the third quarter. We will be fine. We are really excited and we will be ready for Mount Carmel, on Friday.”
After junior place kicker, John Sassan’s third consecutive point-after-touchdowns, the Hawks led 21-17 with 3:30 left in the half.
The Hilltoppers, led by Moore, quickly marched down the field and Moore, crashed in from the five, to give the Hilltoppers a 24-21 lead at the half.
The Hawks received heart-wrenching news, as Leongas came out of the halftime locker room with an ice pack, on his knee.
“We started out slow but then we really got things going,” Leongas said. “Sadly, I got hurt and hopefully I can come back and play soon. After we fell behind 17-0, I knew we would come back and we did.”
Glenbard West took the opening kickoff of the second half and scored on a four-yard run from junior, Samson Zander (five carries, 42 yards, TD) for a 31-21 lead with 5:33 in the third quarter.
Hawk back-up quarterback Justin Marques (4-for-9, 34 yards, TD), made a valiant effort but “The Hitters” as the Glenbard West defense is known, with blood in their eyes, feasted on the inexperienced junior QB.
Glenbard West opened up a 45-21 lead, with a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns, before Marques fired a 13-yard scoring strike to Johnny Palumbo ( five catches, 52 yards, TD), with 16 seconds left in the contest.
On Friday night, Mount Carmel (1-0) invades Wilson Stadium for the Hawks home-opener.
“Tough start” Maine South head coach Dave Inserra said. “Fell behind 17-0 and came back to take the 21-17 lead. Of course it really hurt us with Luke going down before the half. Luke is a real trooper. He was outstanding for us today, playing on a previously-injured leg.”
“We didn’t tackle well today. We didn’t block well for our quarterbacks. We have a lot of work to do this week. We have to stay together as a team and another, outstanding opponent, awaits us on Friday night,”
WEEK 1 AREA FOOTBALL SCORES
CCL/ESCC CROSSOVER
St. Rita 31 Joliet Catholic Academy 14 (See online story)
SPC CROSSOVERS
Minooka 49 Joliet West 7
Plainfield South 35 Minooka 14
Plainfield North 35 Plainfield East 20
Oswego East 54 Romeoville 0
Oswego 42 Plainfield Central 3
Yorkville 43 Joliet Central 0
NONCONFERENCE
Bolingbrook 43 Proviso West 10
Notre Dame 49 Geneva 7
Downers Grove North 35 Buffalo Grove 14
Benet Academy 28 Naperville North 21
Lisle 22 Harvard 8
Westmont 50 Collins 14
Glenbard West 45 Maine South 28 (See online story)
Marmion 41; Maine East 7
Wheaton North 13 Downers Grove South 12
De La Salle 43 Niles West 0
Grandville Michigan 47 Lockport 24