Glenbard East’s efficient offense paves the way to blowout of Streamwood

STREAMWOOD – Glenbard East’s offense was nothing if not efficient Friday.

The Rams attempted only 11 passes, but quarterback Blake Salvino completed seven of them for 156 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half. Tailback Matt Larson ran just nine times, but he accounted for 122 yards and three more scores.

Dailyn Zollicoffer added a touchdown on defense as the Rams downed Streamwood, 41-7, in an Upstate Eight matchup at Millennium Field.

Glenbard East broke the game open with four second-quarter scores in spoiling Streamwood’s homecoming. When Zollicoffer emerged from a pile with a fumble recovery and returned it for a score on the first possession of the second half, the Rams were up 41-0 and the clock ran the rest of the way.

The Rams (4-1, 4-1) held the Sabres to 65 total yards and forced two turnovers. The Sabres got on the scoreboard on a Juan Cortes touchdown with 14 seconds left.

“We’ve just developed this culture of having physical, tough, disciplined defense,” Glenbard East coach John Walters said. “It started with old defensive coordinator Jeff Cherry, and now Pat Walker’s the man. He’s taken up the same kind of attitude and the kids love it.”

Glenbard East scored on the game’s first possession, with Larson paying it off with a 4-yard run.

Larson scored on runs of 65 and 1 yard in the second quarter, and Salvino tossed scoring strikes of 33 yards to Gio Brusa and 60 yards to Amonte Cook to close out the first-half scoring. Cook snatched the ball away from a pair of defenders near the 20-yard line and raced untouched into the end zone.

Offensively, everything starts up front for the Rams.

“It all starts up front with the O-line,” Larson said. “They had a great game. Once they start rolling, the whole team starts rolling. When we have good quarterback play and good line play, everything starts clicking.”

Streamwood’s defense hung tough, shutting out the Rams after halftime, but the offense struggled to get anything going. Cortes accounted for 27 of the Sabres’ 65 rushing yards. Streamwood’s only pass resulted in an interception.