BY NOAH GRIFFITH
FO THE OBSERVER
SMITHS STATION –– It has been a tough run as of late for Glenwood School. After starting the season with three wins, it has now lost five straight games after a 48-27 loss to St. Michael Catholic School on Oct. 16 at Sammy Howard Field.
Star running back Nate Malone went down with an injury on the first offensive possession, and the Gators (3-5, 1-4) struggled to find any offense as the game slipped away in the fourth quarter.
Under head coach Philip Rivers, a veteran NFL quarterback who played three games this past season at age 44, St. Michael continued an opposite trend. The Cardinals (5-3, 4-2) won their fifth consecutive game behind four passing touchdowns by Gunner Rivers, 4-star QB and N.C. State commit, and go-ahead touchdown run by Nygel Mitchell to end the third quarter.
“It’s kind of like it’s been the last month – it’s tied up and we’ve got a little momentum and then we kind of run out of gas,” said Glenwood head coach Ryan Nelson. “We had some guys out who play a lot of snaps, so you’re in a situation where you’re going to wear down.”
Despite a high-flying and balanced offense under Rivers, Glenwood’s defense held up in the first half, as the Gators trailed just 21-14 going to halftime.
Josiah Clark took over for the injured Malone at running back and put Glenwood on the board with an 8-yard TD run, and Trey Claridy added a 4-yard TD run on a draw play. However, Rivers’ dynamic passing showed itself early with three TD passes, capped by an impressive snag over the defender’s head by Braedyn Walton with 1:45 remaining in the half to earn a seven-point lead going to the break.
The defenses kept things tight in the first half by each forcing a turnover on back-to-back possessions in the second quarter. The Cardinals got to Claridy on third-and-long for a sack, forcing a fumble and falling on it at midfield. A few plays later, Clark picked off Rivers to take the Cardinal offense out of its groove and help keep Glenwood in the game until the offense heated up in the third quarter.
When St. Michael struck quickly on a 69-yard TD run by Mitchell to start the third quarter, Glenwood fell behind by two scores for the first time. A 27-14 deficit seemed like a tough task with a dynamic offense on the other side of the ball, but the Gators answered to tie the game.
On the ensuing possession, Clark scampered in from 7 yards out to make it 27-20. After forcing a turnover on downs in opponent territory, the Gators punched it in again on a 14-yard pass to Kason Peterson to tie the game, 27-27.
Claridy to Peterson was Glenwood’s strongest offensive connection several times throughout the night. The duo converted several key third downs throughout the night, pairing with tough running from Clark and Rhett English.
“Losing [Malone] on the first drive was a big blow to us, but it was good to see other guys step up and play well,” Nelson said. “Offensively, we had some really good plays, and we had some really bad plays. [Peterson] performed well again tonight and kind of kept us alive.”
But as soon as Glenwood tied it, St. Michael responded with a four-minute TD drive, capped off by a 1-yard run by Mitchell to snatch the lead back, making it 34-27 with 30 seconds left in the third quarter.
As was the story of the fourth quarter, penalties moved Glenwood 20 yards from the first-down marker on the next drive. Working from behind on the scoreboard and behind the sticks was too much for the Gators to overcome.
A punt from its own 25 went out of bounds at its own 38, setting up another quick TD drive for the Cardinals. With 9:51 remaining in the game, Rivers connected with Walton again on a 12-yard score to go ahead 41-27.
Glenwood responded by driving down to the Cardinals’ 19 yard line, but the drive stalled out after a holding penalty pushed it back 10 yards and stopped the momentum. Held to a 4th-and-25, Claridy’s throw to the end zone was picked off by Walton and returned 100 yards for his third TD of the night to cap off the final score at 48-27.
“It’s just a tough situation for a football team,” Nelson said. “We’re trying to fight, but it’s very difficult right now. We’re playing some really good teams, so I commend our guys’ effort and heart.”
The Gators, still alive for playoff berth, hope to rediscover the win column on Friday, Oct. 23, in another region matchup on the road at Faith Academy in Mobile. The Rams (3-5, 1-5) are coming off a 20-6 victory over Houston Academy on Oct. 16.
