16
THE BUGLE NOVEMBER 7, 2013
buglenewspapers.com/football
Styles set to clash in 8A second round By Mark Gregory Sports Reporter
When Bolingbrook and Marist meet up in Friday night’s Class 8A Round 2 match-up, something has to give. The two teams could not be more opposite as the Redhawks rely on winning games by scoring at a video-game pace, averaging 42.3 points per game this season. The Raiders are more methodical on offense, as they average 32.9 points per game, they just usually take time to get there. “That is just the nature of our offense,” said Bolingbrook coach John Ivlow. “We see a different look each week and we get under center and feel them out and feel them out and then we make our adjustments and then we are usually pretty good.” Marist will allow Bolingbrook to put points on the board, as it has allowed on average of 30.4 points per game through week one of the postseason. The key to the game will be if the high-powered Marist offense can score on Bolingbrook’s stingy defense. Arguably the top defense in the state, the Raiders allow only 6.7 points per game. In their 48-12 win over Bloom Township in the playoff opener, the Trojans tallied both touchdowns against the Raider reserves, as the starters played only the first series after halftime. The third quarter Bloom TD was the first points Bolingbrook has allowed in the third quarter this season.
The Raider defense forced four fumbles, recovering two. Standout defensive back Parrker Westphal added an interception, all of which gave the offense great field position to score. “We make plays and the offense capitalizes on that,” said defensive back Julian Huff. Julian was the first of the three Huff brothers to make a big play in the game, as he opened the scoring in the first minute of the second quarter when he recovered a punt that hit the offensive lineman in the helmet and caromed to the five-yard line. Huff secured it at the three and ran in for the score. He would add two sacks and a forced fumble. Brother Jacob Huff would help end the Bolingbrook scoring against the Bloom kicking game, as he blocked a punt with 9:13 left to play in the third quarter that was recovered by Joshua Collins and returned five-yards for the score. It was Jacob’s second blocked kick of the year, tying Julian for team lead. In between those scores, oldest brother Jaden had a 27-yard TD run and a 17-yard TD catch from Quincy Woods. Woods added a pair of 1-yard QB sneaks for scores, while Dariel Greer found Mike Valentine for a 33-yard score on the final play of the second quarter. That TD pass capped off a 42-point second frame for Bolingbrook and put the running clock into effect for the second half. All involved know the road will
Mark Gregory/Bugle Staff
Julian Huff forces a fumble in Bolingbrook’s win over Bloom in the first round of the playoffs.
be tougher against Marist. “That is a great team coming to town here. It will be a great game. I hope everyone comes out to watch it,” Ivlow said.“They are your typical 8A football team. They are big and solid, but we are used to playing against the physical teams. We are not very big, but we will go toe-to-toe with the big boys.” Marist is paced by Notre Damebound receiver Nic Weishar and fellow receiver Flynn Nagel. Quarterback Jack Donegan makes use of his receivers, while Peter Andreotti is the Redhawks’ leading rusher. “We are excited,” Julian Huff said. “We watched their game (Friday night). I like their running back (Andreotti). He is fast and
they are physical on the offensive line. Nagel and (Weishar) and good players. A lot of their top guys play defense too, but they are all going to big schools.” Huff said it will be another chance for the Bolingbrook defense to try and play an even better game. “We have read all the articles and we have seen the videos and everyone says how good we are, but it is crazy to say, but we can get so much better. People just don’t know how much better we can get,” he said. “We do what we do because we have known each other for a while. People talk about how defenses play well because they have played together for a long time, but we have lived together for a long
time. We have known each other for a while and that is what makes this defense run.” mark@buglenewspapers.com
35.6
The margin of difference between the 42.3 ppg Marist scores and the 6.7 ppg Bolingbrook allows