By Bobby Narang
Glenbard West High School’s Joey Pope a junior running back is making a name for himself early in the 2021 regular season.
The Hilltoppers lost some key players from last season’s team, including at running back.
But Pope, a speedy and shifty runner, has energized the offense with his big-play ability.
In two-plus quarters Saturday, Pope rushed for 185 yards and scored on touchdown runs of 11, 50, and 32 yards, in a dominating 49-0 victory over visiting Downers Grove South at Duchon Field in Glen Ellyn.
Glenbard West head coach Chad Hetlet walked away from the victory with amazement over Pope’s highlight-reel running.
“I can’t explain it, for some people have it on a whole different dimension,” Hetlet said of Pope. “It’s almost matrix-like. Sometimes he just needs to go vertical, but he did a good job. He ran hard and our offensive line blocked well.”
The Hilltoppers, 2-0, broke out to a 35-0 lead at halftime, mostly behind a stellar defense and the running of Pope. He rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns in the opener against Grandville (Michigan), but his second act was even better.
He introduced his dynamic running style to the West Suburban Conference Saturday.
After playing safety in the shortened Spring season, the junior running back made headlines last week by rushing for 132 yards and scoring three touchdowns in a victory over Grandville (Mich.).
“I knew I was going to get more carries after the Spring,” Pope said. “I definitely had under double digit carries last year, but back when I was freshman, I was a running back and worked hard over this Summer. I trusted the process. I have some of the best coaches in the State. “We’re a powerhouse program for a reason. It’s been a dream of mine. I grew up watching Sam Brodner and Jalen Moore and Samson Zander, very good friends of mine. I have a big offensive line, and they made some big cutback lanes for me. I thought we all had a great game.”
Downers Grove South, 0-2), has been outscored 99-0 in two games this season, which left head coach Mark Molinari to say the team must improve in the coming weeks.
Molinari gave credit to the Hilltoppers for executing their game plan. .
“We’re a young team,” he said. “We might have started five or six seniors. We want to be like that program. I thought our kids battled. I won’t question our kids’ effort. We have to clean some things up, to win ball games, mainly penalties. We’ve played some pretty good teams in Wheaton North and Glenbard West.”
Judson football starts new era
After a nearly three-year wait, Judson University unveiled its first football team in program history. The Eagles had trouble scoring in the first half, but scored 26 points in the second half before falling short, 42-26, Saturday, to visiting Taylor University.
The first-ever game, held at Dundee-Crown High School in Carpentersville, featured the normal college-like atmosphere, complete with numerous festivities to honor the start of the program. The Eagles, an NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) school, will play an 11-game schedule in their inaugural season.
“We are all honored to be here,” Judson head coach Dan Paplaczyk said. “It was awesome to walk out here, to see the crowd and what it meant for the people who have been around Judson for a long time. This was a special day. These guys have been hitting each other in the same jerseys for three years.”
Following a game at Concordia University in Mequon, Wis., Saturday, Sept. 11, Judson will play host to St. Francis University, Ind., at 7 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 18.