Slow Start Sends Kits To 4th Loss In A Row

Windy conditions forced Glenbrook South to cancel a scheduled fireworks display as part of a Homecoming celebration for Friday night’s football game against Evanston.

But the Titans triggered some fireworks on their own, even before their fans had settled into their seats at the start of the game.

Tyrone Cotton returned the opening kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown, and GBS surged to a 21-0 halftime advantage on their way to a 35-20 victory that sent the Wildkits to their fourth loss in a row.

Evanston “won” the second half of the Central Suburban League South division opener, but fell to 1-4 on the year overall after that slow start. GBS moved to 2-3 behind a ground game that piled up 224 yards.

Included in that total was a 9-play drive to clinch the win after ETHS had cut the deficit to 28-20 midway through the fourth quarter. The hosts only needed one pass completion to march 80 yards, and Jacob Malek (18 carries for 104 yards) capped that drive with a 35-yard dash to the end zone.

Evanston mustered just three first downs in the entire first half and dug a hole too deep to climb out of, according to head coach Mike Burzawa. “That kickoff return hurt right away, and getting off to that slow start obviously hurt,” Burzawa said. “We didn’t get into any rhythm at all on offense. We had some drops, some undisciplined play and a turnover. We really hurt ourselves.

“Every phase did their job at times for us. We just haven’t put It all together yet. We have to play four consistent quarters of football, and when you get in a hole like that, you have to play perfect to come back. Even so, it was a one score game, but we didn’t get the stop we needed at the end.”

Cotton’s kickoff return, a 2-yard TD run by Malek and a 6-yard pass from Andrew Bonvechio to Parker Ward just before halftime accounted for the 21-0 margin at the intermission. Evanston finally responded, starting the second half with an 80-yard scoring drive against the 30-mile-per-hour wind that ended with a 1-yard plunge by Enijel Shelton (17 carries for 100 yards) for the touchdown.

Jamarcus White of ETHS recovered a subsequent onside kick, and that allowed quarterback Colin Livatino (16-of-32 for 185 passing yards) to lead a quick strike for the Kits when he found Ryan Wambo in the left corner of the end zone for a 23-yard TD pass. Livatino’s PAT pass to Dallas Amos pulled the visitors to within 21-14.

A 3-yard run by Cotton restored a two-score advantage for the Titans but it wasn’t over yet. The Titans committed three costly penalties on Evanston’s next possession, including a roughing the quarterback rap, and Livatino eventually made them pay when he raced 7 yards for a touchdown around left end with 7 minutes, 30 seconds left in the game.

South faced a third-and-6 situation from its own 37 when quarterback Bonvechio rolled right to keep a play alive in the face of a fierce rush by Evanston linebacker Mike Pryor. Bonvechio not only barely avoided a sack, he completed a 13-yard pass to midfield to Cotton and the Titans scored five plays later.

“You can’t play catch-up against a good, strong football team like GBS,” Burzawa said. “We just have to keep fighting and keep working. It’s not easy when you’re not getting the Ws (wins) you’ve been working hard for. It’s tough to swallow. We just have to keep fighting and keep working.”

Evanston resumes CSL South action next Friday at New Trier.