Glenbrook South Stunned by Evanston, 34-31

Perhaps one of the oldest saying in football, you have to play four quarters to win a game. Proof positive was the Evanston Wildkits' (6-3, 3-2) stunning 34-31  victory at Glenbrook South (5-4, 3-2) Friday night to close out the regular season.

Everything seemed to be going Glenbrook South's way going into Friday's game and even the early quarters looked as if GBS would bring home another win. Coming off a loss to Maine South the week before, it appeared the Titans were focused on their senior night and determined to give GBS seniors something to cheer avout.

Just before the game, Glenbrook South coaches encouraged their players: "Final time playing a home game seniors, make it count."

It especially looked that way on GBS' first touchdown. Up 3-0 midway through the second quarter, the Titans went for it on a 4th-and-21 from Evanston's 29-yard line. Senior quarterback Matt Jenkins threw a jump ball to Zach Jones and Jones came down with the touchdown reception in the back left corner of the end zone.

And when the Wildkits wide receiver Mark Williams dropped a sure touchdown reception, it seemed the Titans had the game in hand. The Titans would take over on downs and drove downfield. They scored on an 18-yard touchdown run with just 25 seconds remaining in the half. At halftime, the Titans held a 17-0 lead.

After a pair of John Strickland touchdown runs in the third quarter, the Titans took a 31-0 lead. John Davis Stadium began to empty, as it appeared the Titans would run away with the victory.

In a game-changing turn of events, Evanston recovered from a 31-0 deficit in less than a quarter and a half to steal the victory.

"That had to be, with no doubt, one of the greatest comebacks in Evanston football history," Wildkits head coach Mike Burzawa said after the game. "That was one of the best efforts I've ever seen."

Evanston got on the board with 3:14 left in the third quarter when senior running back Rendell Massey scampered in from 9 yards out. Then Glenbrook South helped with turnovers.

A fumble led to the Wildkits' second touchdown when senior quarterback Byron Dawkins connected with senior wide receiver James Brown on a 10-yard fade.

Glenbrook South fumbled again in its own territory and on an identical fade route, Dawkins found Brown on a 13-yard TD. All of the sudden, after three quarters, Glenbrook South's lead was down to 31-21 and it was a ballgame again.

Evanston drew within one score on Massey's second touchdown on a spectacular 23-yard run. Massey broke several tackles for the score. The point-after-try failed so the Titans lead was 31-27 with 7:01 remaining in regulation.

Evanston's defense held and the Titans were forced to punt around midfield.

The Wildkits drove methodically downfield. The got some more help from Glenbrook South on a personal foul penalty that put them in the red zone. Massey tallied touchdown No. 3 on a 15-yard run to the right side, once again breaking tackles for the score. The touchdown finished Massey's massive game. He ran for 206 yards, 173 in the second half.

The Titans did have one more chance with just over a minute left. Strickland, who ran for a career high 258-yards, returned the kickoff to the 40-yard line. The Titans got inside the red zone but a holding penalty on a 4th-and-five play was a huge blow. Without the penalty, the Titans would have had a first down. Instead, Jenkins and the Titans offense faced 4th-and-10 from Evanston's 25-yard line with 21 seconds left. Jenkins' pass fell incomplete at the left sideline and the celebration for a miraculous comeback started for the Wildkits.

"It really [stinks]," Jenkins said after the game. "This is not the way we wanted to end our senior night or the way we wanted to go into the playoffs."

The Titans postgame team huddle was silent. The message from the coaches was simple: regroup and be prepared for next season and the playoffs.

Both Glenbrook South and Evanston qualified for the state playoffs. Glenbrook South will open at Barrington in the first round of the Class 8A tournament.

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