Riverside-Brookfield rallies in second half, knocks off Glenbard South

RIVERSIDE – Junior safety Warren Mason and his Riverside-Brookfield football defensive teammates sensed the confidence and momentum continuing to grow Friday.

”It was amazing. Every time the defense got a stop, it was like we hit a new level of energy,” Mason said. “It kept building and building. It felt amazing. You could feel it in the air for sure.”

Newcomers this year to the Upstate Eight Conference, the Bulldogs relished the role of underdogs against defending tri-champion and perennial playoff qualifier Glenbard South.

The Bulldogs’ 26-21 Senior Night victory was a satisfying one few probably saw coming.

R-B (3-3, 1-2 in UEC East) trailed 13-9 at halftime but scored two straight touchdowns to lead for good and then held off a furious comeback attempt by the Raiders (4-2, 3-1).

Glenbard South had scored between 41 and 63 points in its four-game winning streak, including 49-6 over Fenton, which beat the Bulldogs 21-14 last week.

”No one, no one thought we were going to win. You’re in school and everyone’s like, ‘How’s the game going to be this week?’ " Mason said. “We knew we had nothing to lose this week. And we won.”  

R-B sophomore quarterback Giancarlo Garcia was 15-for-24 passing for 282 yards and two TD passes to junior Xavier Mrozik-DeJesus, who had eight catches for 198 yards. The Bulldogs also continued their quest toward a fifth straight state playoff berth.

”It was great. Foot on the gas pedal the entire time. They didn’t blink once,” R-B coach Sam Styler said. ”I told our guys we need to work on finishing this week and playing for each other and they did, both sides of the ball.”  

R-B scored on its opening drive, which began with a 44-yard pass play to the 7 from Jayden Karas. Punter/kicker John Bielobradek pulled off a fake punt in the second quarter for a 22-yard gain and eventually 25-yard field goal for a 9-7 lead.

The tide turned for good on the Raiders’ first possession of the second half. Myron O’Bea deflected a third-down screen pass that Luke Ferguson made a diving interception on the 24. Karas scored three plays later.

”Myron getting up and over that screen. I give all the credit to him,” Ferguson said. “It was definitely a huge turnover and I’m definitely happy I was there to get it.”

Mrozik-DeJesus then scored on an 18-yard TD catch, leaping to grab the ball over the helmet of the defender. Glenbard South closed to 23-21 on a 39-yard TD pass from quarterback Tommy Bauman (17-for-28, 206 yards) to Henry Riley (7 catches, 101 yards). Joseph Villa’s two-point conversion run cut the deficit to 23-21 with 10:15 left.

After Bielobradek’s second field goal, a 26-yarder, the Raiders had three possessions come up empty. On their final one from their 14 with 55 seconds left, they reached the R-B 18 with one pass batted down inside the 5 by John Evans, who had a third-quarter interception at the 12. The Raiders’ Devonte Clark rushed for 108 yards, with 103 yards and 26 and 20-yard TD runs in the first half.

“R-B played with more intensity,” Glenbard South coach Ryan Crissey said. “We knew they would be aggressive, especially on defense. What mattered was that they executed their game plan a heck of a lot better than we did.”They were the better team without a doubt. We shot ourselves in the foot, but they made a heck of a lot of plays. We didn’t, even though we had opportunities.”