Host Glenbard East overcame two fourth-quarter turnovers and a huge disadvantage in time of possession by coming up with some big plays and thanks to a late touchdown run from Aaron Hall rallied for a 22-18 Homecoming win Friday night over West Chicago.

After forcing a three-and-out, the Wildcats (1-4, 0-3 DuPage Valley Conference) embarked on an impressive 16-play, 80-yard drive that ended with a 3-yard from senior Mike Dylla (24 carries, 96 yards).

But it only took Glenbard East (3-2, 1-2) three plays to answer back. On the firsrt play after the West Chicago touchdown, junior Mathew Clark (eight carries, 126 yards) broke through the line for a 56-yard run down to the Wildcats’ seven. Two plays later, Mark Krueger’s 1-yard run helped put the Rams ahead.

Then after West Chicago had to punt, the Rams struck quickly, again thanks to Clark, whose 41-yard sprint helped set up Jack Merrithey’s six-yard scoring pass to Krueger on the third play of the second quarter, giving the Rams a 14-6 lead.

The Wildcats would score again with just 1:11 left in the half when AJ Romanelli faked a toss right and found Clark Hudmon wide open for a 20-yard touchdown pass.

West Chicago recovered a fumble on the Rams’ ensuing play and seemed to have completed a miraculous 35-yard touchdown pass from Romanelli to Alex Pirela as the halftime horn sounded.

But the play was nullified when referees ruled that Romanelli had been beyond the line of scrimmage when he threw the ball.

The Wildcats appeared to have put that disappointment of their minds when they got the ball to start the second half and went off on a mammoth 20-play, 80-yard drive that consumed 10:50 off the clock. It ended with Romanelli’s 1-yard keeper but the conversion-pass attempt failed.

The next three possessions all ended in turnovers in the opposing team’s territory.

Glenbard East started what would be the game-winning drive at its own 40 with 2:37 remaining and began the possession with a 34-yard pass from Merrithey to Lee Skinner.

But the biggest play of the drive, and the game, was Merrithey’s second-effort run on 4th-and-2 that was just good enough for a first down at the Wildcats’ 16. Two plays later, Hall sent the Rams’ fans into delirium.

“It’s a bit overwhelming — he called 45 Belly and our left tackle Spence (Spencer George) knocked out two guys and I just pretty much fell over after he did that,” Hall said. “But it wouldn’t have happened if Jack doesn’t convert on that fourth-down run.”

Game breakdown
SCORE BY QUARTER    1    2    3    4
West Chicago    6    6    6    0
Glenbard East    7    7    0    8
1ST QUARTER: WC Mike Dylla 3-yard run (kick failed), 3:41; GE Mark Krueger 1-yard run (Luke Martinez kick), 2:24.
2ND QUARTER: GE Krueger 6-yard pass from Jack Merrithey (Martinez kick), 11:02; WC Clark Hudmon 20-yard pass from AJ Romanelli (run failed), 1:11.
3RD QUARTER: WC Romanelli 1-yard run (pass failed), 1:11.
4TH QUARTER: GE Aaron Hall 5-yard run (Krueger pass from Merrithey), 1:32.
RUSHING: WC Dylla 24-96, TD; Chris Jackson 19-85; Alex Pirela 11-40; Romanelli 6-16, TD; GE Mathew Clark 8-126; Hall 6-47; Merrithey 7-35; Krueger 6-20; Kevin Kohn 1-1.
PASSING: WC Romanelli 6-20, 99 yards, TD, INT; GE Merrithey 3-6, 45 yards, INT.
RECEIVING: WC Nick Henke 2-41; Hudmon 2-31, TD; Jackson 1-14; Dylla 1-13; GE Nick Hogan 1-34; Krueger 1-6, TD; Lee Skinner 1-5.
DEFENSE: WC Drew Peterson two fumble recoveries; Drew Bowker pass broken up; Greg Vodicka interception; GE Clinton Omsberg tackle for 4-yard loss; Dan Ropinski tackle for no gain, pass broken up, tackle for 5-yard loss; Pat Prorok tackle for 1-yard loss; Ryan Kasper interception.