CN100 Game of the Week preview: Week 1 Football - Bolingbrook vs. Glenbard West

GLEN ELLYN – Two of the state’s most successful programs over the past decade get together in nonconference play Saturday as Bolingbrook takes on Glenbard West.
The game will be shown on CN100, The Comcast Network, at Noon and 4 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 30, and at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 1. You can also watch it any time with Xfinity On Demand.
Glenbard West has been a machine in coach Chad Hetlet’s eight seasons as head coach. The Hilltoppers are 88-13 in that time, winning the Class 7A state title in 2012. Glenbard West has won 10 or more games every season since 2008 and is 37-3 the past three years.
Last season, the Hilltoppers started 12-0 before getting knocked out of the Class 8A playoffs by Stevenson. The main man that led them to that success, running back Sam Brodner, returns to anchor Glenbard West this year.
Brodner ran for 1,950 yards and 27 touchdowns last year, adding 20 catches for 249 yards. In the second round of the playoffs against Palatine, Brodner exploded for 308 yards and five touchdowns.
Hetlet prefers to pound the ball on the ground, so Brodner can expect a big workload again. He will be flanked by Isaiah Skinner, who ran for 257 yards and seven touchdowns in spot duty last year. Brian Cochrane takes over at quarterback this season. He saw limited duty in 2014 has a new crop of receivers to work with, as receiver Chrystian Maciorowski and tight end Adam Zybko get the nod Week 1.
Former NFL player John Ivlow has had similar success to Hetlet at Bolingbrook. In 13 seasons as head coach, the Raiders are 110-15, winning the Class 8A state title in 2011. Bolingbrook has made the state playoffs every year since 1992.
The headliner for Bolingbrook is not on the offensive side of the ball, but rather linebacker Tuf Borland. Borland committed to defending national champion Ohio State in April. Borland picked the Buckeyes over several other offers. He was ranked the number three junior in Illinois last year and was rated a four-star recruit by national recruiting services.
Borland racked up 149 total tackles, including 95 solo, last year, with 15 tackles for a loss. He also contributed five pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He is aided up front by defensive end T.J. Lee, who posted 30 tackles, five sacks, five tackles for loss and three forced fumbles in 2014.
Ivlow believes that his defensive front seven is the strength of his team.
Bolingbrook will need the defense to be stout, especially early in the season as a whole new offense takes over. Only Ivlow’s son, also named John, returns. He is the center. Everybody else will be starting full-time for the first time in their careers.
Junior Joe Coates gets the nod Saturday under center. Running backs D’Angelo Colon and Jaylen Griffin each have limited varsity experience.
Ivlow said that his offense has been progressing each week leading up to the season.
- Paul Johnson, CN100 Correspondent

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