by LINCOLN PARK, IL. — The DePaul College Prep Rams earn their first win of the season, dominating the Marian Catholic Spartans 43-19. Heading into Week 3 of high school football in Illinois, both teams were seeking their first victory of the season. From the opening kickoff, the Rams set the tone.
First Quarter:
To begin the game, Rams junior running back Jackson Grabinski returned the ball marked down at the 38-yard line. Penalties slowed down the Rams’ opening drive, but junior quarterback Jackson Grabinski settled in. He led the Rams downfield before sophomore running back Tyson Hooks caught a burst into the end zone from 12 yards out. Junior kicker Emmett McCue added to the party, giving DePaul a 7-0 lead with 4:18 left in the first quarter.
On defense, the Rams kept the Spartans’ offense in check, with help from junior defensive lineman Hunter Wahtola, who capped off the quarter with a powerful sack.
Second Quarter:
The Rams continued at a fast pace. Right off the first play, Grabinski rolled to his right and delivered a perfect 20-yard touchdown strike to senior wide receiver Matthew Osterman. McCue’s kick made it 14-0.
Later in the quarter, Grabinski weaved through Spartan defenders for a 27-yard rushing score, and a broken extra-point attempt led McCue to score a two-point conversion. Pushing the Rams’ lead to 22-0, this is something we do not see a lot in high school football. Talk about improvising on the fly.
The Spartans answered late in the quarter when senior running back Kyle Scott scored from two yards out, trimming the deficit to 22-7 with 1:58 to go in the second. The Rams’ special teams swung the momentum back. Seconds left before halftime; Rams junior linebacker Vance Holmes blocked a punt and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown. Holmes’ grit set the Rams up 29-7 at halftime.
Third Quarter:
It was all Rams territory for the third quarter. Junior running back Zach Stewart broke free for a 40-yard touchdown early in the quarter. Extending the Rams’ lead to 36-7 and 10:47 left in the quarter.
6 minutes later, the Rams capitalized on another Hooks touchdown after hauling a pass from Grabinski and running it into the end zone. 42-7
43 seconds left in the quarter, the Spartans gained strength, as Scott scored his second touchdown of the night, again from two yards out. The Spartans decided to go for 2, but were shut down by the Rams’ defensive linemen, Wahtola and senior Elias Lerner.
Fourth Quarter:
With a comfortable lead, the Rams rotated players and leaned on their defense to finish the game. There was not a lot happening. Near the 3:30 mark, Spartans junior running back Antonio Banks managed a short rushing touchdown. The 2-point conversion was no good, and the Rams held a safe 43-19 lead.
The Rams began their next offensive possession, opting for a quarterback change. Senior multiple-threat quarterback Blake Yucan closed out the fourth for the Rams. Spartans had the last possession of the game, but that would not be enough to defeat the Rams.
Next Week:
DePaul College Prep will travel down the street next Friday to play against St. Patrick. The game is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. CT. Marian Catholic will travel to Leo High School and take on the Lions at 7:30 p.m. CT.
Key Game Highlights:
DePaul College Prep’s running back, Tyson Hooks, had another consecutive game, going for over 200 yards on offense and scoring two touchdowns.
Marian Catholic’s running back Kylee Scott was the Spartans’ main source of offense, scoring two touchdowns. Kept them from being completely shut out.
DePaul College Prep: 7 22 14 0 = 43
Marian Catholic: 0 7 6 0 6 = 19
