Glenbard North turns tables on Glenbard East
Junior Vittorio Tricase spent the afternoon before the resumption of Glenbard North's football game Saturday watching fellow running back and former high school teammate Justin Jackson shine for Northwestern's team.
"I was just getting mentally prepared, watching film of my own and of Justin of last week, just what I need to do to better myself tonight," Tricase said.
In the evening Tricase and the Panthers put on an offensive display reminiscent of Jackson and that 2012 Class 8A runner up team.
With 34 unanswered points, including a 27-point fourth quarter, Glenbard North turned frustration into a decisive 41-17 nonconference victory over previously undefeated Glenbard East in Carol Stream.
The Panthers (2-2) used a personal-high 270 rushing yards and 3 touchdowns from Tricase and 4 fourth-quarter turnovers, including 2 interceptions by Tyrik Henderson. He returned the second 50 yards for a final TD with 2:31 left.
The game resumed at 6 p.m. after play was suspended Friday 1:42 until halftime with the Rams (3-1) leading 14-7 on two TD passes by Phil Abruzino, who passed for 374 yards.
Glenbard North starters met at the school at 9 a.m., discussing how they could and should play better.
"That break last night helped us. We came back with fire in our eyes and we knew we had to come out and beat them. It's a must-win for us," Tricase said.
"It starts up front. Our (offensive) line got crazy movement up front. By far. This is the best game of my high school career."
The Rams seemed in control after pulling ahead 17-7 midway through the third quarter on Justin Murphy's 34-yard field goal. Abruzino kept the drive going with a fake punt conversion on fourth-and-2.
At that point the Panthers had 33 yards of offense since the game resumed. On their next drive, Tricase opened with a 29-yard run, followed later by a 28-yarder to the 1. Quarterback Shane Conway scored on a sneak.
Henderson followed with his first interception and returned it for a TD before a penalty brought the ball back to the Rams' 45. The next play, Tricase ran for a TD to put Glenbard North ahead to stay 20-17 with 10:05 left.
"We hit it on all cylinders in the fourth quarter. The kids played very well," Glenbard North coach Ryan Wilkens said. "The defense had been playing well all year. We looked OK (on offense) at times last week and sometimes we didn't. Tonight I thought we did a pretty good job."
The defense helped again. The next offensive play after Tricase's go-ahead TD, Chris Chino-Noeun recovered his second fumble of the game at the Rams' 22.
Tricase carried the next three plays and scored from the 7. Tricase completed the next drive with a 3-yard TD run. Fellow standout tailback Devion Hodges, who rushed for 80 yards and had a TD reception, opened with a 24-yard gain to the Rams' 41.
"I try to give the backs both carries because they both play defense," Wilkens said. "At times you feel like you're shortchanging one of the running backs. But tonight was V's night and he had a (heckuva) night."
Glenbard East wanted to start 4-0 for the first time since 1999 - the only it has reached the IHSA state playoffs. Now the Rams hope to bounce back and remember last year, when they finished 3-6 after also starting 3-1.
"We had a 3-point lead going into the fourth (17-14). We got outworked, outhustled in the fourth quarter," Glenbard East coach John Walters said. "We've got to learn to finish games. These guys have done a great job up until this point, but they had a hard lesson about finishing tonight."
Henderson gave the Panthers 10 interceptions on the season and yet another pick-6. Jacob Aron recovered a muffed return on the ensuing kickoff.
"Our coaches were telling us we had to burn the ship and play as a team. Coach put me in a position to make a play and I just made a good play," Henderson said. "It felt amazing. Those were my first two picks of the season and I'm a sophomore."