By Mike Goodson/Sports Correspondent
Glencoe High School head football coach Rusty Davis won not one, but two big games last Friday (Aug. 19).
Besides winning his first game as GHS head coach, Davis brought the program its milestone 500th victory in a 28-21 win over West End at GHS.
“We played a good team that took it to us,” said Davis. “[West End] is tough and well coached. (GHS defensive coordinator Charlie Robertson) did a great job making adjustments at the half to shut them down.”
The visitors from Walnut Grove indeed put up quite a fight, and the game’s outcome was not determined until the latter stages of the fourth quarter.
With the game tied at 21-21 coming out of intermission, the second half was a defensive struggle until Glencoe took the lead for good with 5:21 to go in the game when Cole Holbrooks tossed his third touchdown pass of the night, in this case for 11 yards to Austin Bush. Katie Smith kicked the extra point to give Glencoe the 28-21 lead.
The Yellow Jackets gained 274 yards in total offense, rushing for 108 yards on 44 carries.
The Patriots had 287 yards in total offense.
Holbrooks was 11-of-25 in passing for 168 yards and ran for 59 yards and one score on 15 carries.
Aaron Bush had four receptions for 27 yards, while Micah Sizemore had three catches for 87 yards and a touchdown. Jacob Amberson caught two passes.
Austin Bush led the Glencoe ground game with 68 yards on 16 carries, while Cade Alred added 32 yards on 10 attempts.
Elijah Trim had seven tackles, followed by Bradley Scott with five. Trimm had two sacks, while Tyler Palmares had one.
The game’s first play saw West End quarterback Payne Stancil toss a 75-yard touchdown pass to Andre Little. Following Stancil’s PAT kick, the Patriots led 7-0 with 11:39 to go in the opening quarter.
Glencoe answered with a 13-play, 75-yard rive that was capped by Holbrooks scoring on a 19-yard run. The PAT was no good, however, and West End led 7-6 with 7:02 to go in the first.
The visitors wasted little time in answering, driving 63 yards in three plays to score once again. Stancil fired a 31-yard touchdown pass to Derek Hopper, and following Stancil’s extra point, The Patriots led 14-6 with 1:41 to go in the opening period.
Glencoe drove 62 yards in six plays to find pay dirt in this case a 34-yard touchdown pass from Holbrooks to Aaron Bush. A two-point conversion knotted the game at 14-14.
On the very next play from scrimmage, however, Stancil fired an 89-yard pass to Dylan Butler for the score. Stancil booted the PAT, and West End led 21-14 with 10:33 to go in the first half.
The Yellow Jackets responded, covering 51 yards in one play. Holbrooks passed to Austin Bush for the score with 10:14 remaining in he half.
Stancil was 8-of-12 in passing for 296 yards.
West End hosts Susan Moore on Thursday (Aug. 25), while Glencoe entertains Westbrook Christian on Friday.