GLEN ELLYN – Korey Tai and Glenbard West didn’t want any added motivation for his or her playoff opener, but it surely was supplied with a rematch in opposition to Lockport.
The Hilltoppers made sure historical past didn’t repeat itself.
Tai, Glenbard West’s senior quarterback, threw for 3 touchdowns and ran for a fourth rating. The Hilltoppers scored touchdowns on their first 4 possessions of the sport and avenged final yr’s playoff loss in emphatic vogue 38-7 over defending state champion Lockport within the Class 8A first-round sport Oct. 29 at Duchon Subject.
“It undoubtedly sparked a hearth,” mentioned Tai, who was 7-for-8 passing for 164 yards. “Final yr they took us out. They’re defending 8A champions in order that pushed us just a little bit extra to set the tone. I used to be motivated all week, beginning on Monday.”
It was not exhausting to rise up for a staff that knocked the Hilltoppers out within the second spherical final season 34-0 en path to the Class 8A title.
Glenbard West (9-1) returned all 5 starters on the offensive line from the group that was shut out final season, anchored by Wisconsin recruit Chris Terek.
On Oct. 29, the Hilltoppers amassed 372 yards of offense, 241 coming in a primary half that noticed Glenbard West take a 28-7 lead into halftime.
“It harm final yr,” Terek mentioned. “We needed to verify we got here in and we pounded it. That’s what we did.”
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Glenbard West wasted no time in guaranteeing the rematch would bear no resemblance to final season.
Julius Ellens’ 31-yard TD run capped an eight-play, 81-yard drive on the sport’s opening possession. On Lockport’s first play from scrimmage, a go was tipped and intercepted by Glenbard West’s Eli Limouris. It become a 14-yard Tai landing run for a 14-0 lead with 6:25 left within the first quarter.
“We talked about beginning quick. We obtained some luck with some turnovers and we took benefit of it and capitalized on them,” Glenbard West coach Chad Hetlet mentioned. “Beginning quick was necessary for our children. Individuals can say it’s a distinct Lockport staff, however that’s a staff that simply received state and beat the brakes off us final yr.”
Lockport (5-5), which was on its third quarterback and third operating again due to accidents, turned it over thrice. The miscues prevented any hope of a comeback.
The Porters, contained in the Hilltoppers’ 10-yard line within the final minute of the half, coughed up a fumble that Glenbard West’s Joey Pope pounced on on the 1-yard line. The Porters fumbled the second-half kickoff, which become Marcello Diomede’s 21-yard area objective for a 31-7 Hilltoppers lead.
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Whatever the errors, Lockport coach George Czart acknowledged what his staff was up in opposition to Oct. 29.
“The issue was we couldn’t give our offense extra possibilities. Defensively, we couldn’t cease them,” Czart mentioned. “They have been too excessive octane, had too many issues to attempt to cease, and we didn’t cease any of it successfully.”
Tai’s passing was a giant purpose why the Hilltoppers’ offense was operating on full Oct. 29.
After Brady Pfeiffer took in a 2-yard TD run for Lockport to shut the hole to 14-7, Tai related with Filip Maciorowski for a 49-yard TD go on play-action.
On Glenbard West’s subsequent drive, Tai completely floated a deep ball for a 41-yard TD to Dewayne Smith down the left sideline. Tai completed his day together with his second TD to Maciorowski, this one from 15 yards out within the fourth quarter.
“I believed Korey had one of the best sport of his profession as we speak,” Hetlet mentioned. “He managed the offense successfully, he put the ball precisely the place it wanted to be, ran it when he wanted to, and after we took our photographs, he put the ball the place it wanted to be.”
On the opposite facet, Lockport’s Caden Miller, beginning at quarterback with Pfeiffer grounded by a shoulder damage, was 15-for-22 passing for 172 yards. Elijah Beltran, Lockport’s third-string operating again, rushed for 49 yards. The Porters additionally have been with out two center linebackers within the fruits of an injury-plagued season.
“It seems like we’ve had 14 completely different beginning lineups on account of accidents,” Czart mentioned. “Each sport it was completely different. We’ll take it to coronary heart. We’ll take a while, lick our wounds and get again within the weight room.”
Glenbard West advances to host Glenbrook South at 1 p.m. Saturday. The Hilltoppers search their first quarterfinal look since 2016, the historical past not misplaced on Hetlet and his youngsters.
“It’s a giant deal for us. We wish to make our mark in Hitter historical past,” Terek mentioned. “There’s a wealthy custom right here and we wish to be part of it.”
Ellens ran for 93 yards on 15 carries for Glenbard West.
